My Captor, My Savior
by brown-irises
Summary: “You just what?” He whispered, his lips still at the corner of my mouth. He moved down, brushing his lips against my neck and pausing at my collar bone.
1. Captured

When Aurelia was taken by a vampire she was supposed to just be a pawn to get her boyfriend to pay old debts. But soon one of her vampire captor refuses to let her go, and she doesn't want to escape either, but stories are never that simple now are they?

* * *

I should have known better than to walk home alone.

Now with every step I took I heard steps behind me, I stopped, they stopped.

"Paranoid." I muttered to myself. The cold wind fiercely swiped at my cheeks and swept my hair into my face. Yet my own acknowledgement to my paranoia did not stop me from peeking over my shoulder. There was nothing but a few leaves scattering onto the pavement. I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked forward again only to be greeted by my apartment building.

Making my way up the stairs I felt a chill run from my throat down to my stomach. I raced into my apartment building and shuddered off the cold of the night. Making my way to the shower I peeled off my clothes and stepped under the steaming hot waterfall not caring how much the bill would be.

Afterward I just sat down on the shower floor simply thinking about how I ended up here in the first place. I had moved to Boston after leaving foster care, or rather after being asked to leave the foster care facilities at the age of eighteen. My parents had left me with very little money after their death, most of it was used to pay old debts and most of their possessions were taken into collateral, all accept my father's beloved watch that his father gave him and my mother's single strand of pearls. I did however have enough to move across the country to Boston and rent a cheap motel room until I found an office building that would hire a girl with no college education, no references and dressed in ratty jeans and a button down shirt that didn't fit. I soon however proved them wrong and slowly earned enough money to make myself a home in a cheap apartment building that wasn't exactly any better that the motel room I stayed in before, but at least I didn't have to pay by the hour to stay there.

I stepped out of the shower and looked into the mirror. Had the steam not blurred my own image I know what I would be greeted with; a girl of just under an average height, slender, dark hair that covered her shoulders, and eyes that if anyone really bothered to look into they would see that everything was not fine. Tears brimmed the rims of my eyes. No, I would not cry. I was fine. I am fine. I have a job; I have Lucas, my boyfriend of a year now who met me when I sat alone at a restaurant on my birthday.

"No one should be alone on their birthday." He told me that night. He sat with me, paid for my meal, and I was fine.

A knock on the door disturbed my thoughts. I quickly put on dressed into my night clothes to answer it. Twisting the knob and opening the door I stood their stunned.

He was beautiful. Tall, with high cheekbones and deep smoldering black eyes made for drowning in, made for seducing. He had black hair that was long and that he brushed back. A long black trench draped over his broad shoulders and thick arms. I noticed was looking at me with an expectant smile on his face as if he was waiting for me to speak.

"Can I help you?" I said so quietly I am not sure if he even heard me.

"Yes." He responded, his deep voice fitting him perfectly. "Are you Aurelia?"

"I go by Aurie, yes is there something you need?" I said, the cold feeling that I felt earlier returned to my throat , and this time it pierce my stomach so hard that I hid behind the door protectively waiting for him to respond.

"Why yes" he said leaning closer, then his smile faded and his voice became dark as he said "-you."

I pushed the door shut hard trying to fend him off trying to lock him into the hallway, but he was to strong. He pushed back and edged in, half his body in the hall half his body in my apartment. I did the only thing I could think off and soon my foot shot out hitting him between the legs. He screamed, no he growled, the man actually growled like a wounded wild cat. I couldn't focus on that though and I pushed him out and shut and locked the door.

I ran to my closet to hide and grabbed the phone on the way, dialing 911.

"Hello! Hello! Can you please-" I gasped into the phone, only to realize that it was dead, no dial tone, nothing. Just then I heard the door crash open. I squirmed down into the corner of my closet hiding behind boxes hoping it would be enough to protect me. I heard footsteps make its way into my room.

"Oh princess? Come out, come out where ever you are." he chanted. "Come now princess, I just need to steal you for a bit, I promise I won't hurt you."

The closet door creaked open, I so his silhouette in the dark room, I prayed to myself that he could not see me. Then soon by some miracle I heard him curse under his breath and descend back toward the front door. It shut with a bang and I waited a few moments before leaving my perch and stepped outside of the closet. A harsh wheezing repeated over and over in a loud pattern and I realized it was my own heavy, terrified breathing.

I inhaled deeply through my mouth when a cool large hand clamped over my mouth and a strong arm snaked over my waist form behind.

"Someone should have taught you not to answer the door to strangers late at night" whispered a seductive voice. I tried to scream, but everything soon went black.


	2. Truth Be Told

I felt soreness in my neck and wrists, the kind of soreness you got when you slept wrong one night and you had to spend the rest of the day trying to ignore the fact that you were in great pain.

I groaned and tried to open my eyes, which felt so incredibly heavy. I slowly lifted them and realized where the pain was coming from. I was upright in a chair, hands tied behind my back and my neck was craned forward from having been unconscious.

_Oh dear God I've been abducted._ I thought to myself. I looked all around me only to realize that I was in some motel room with a single queen sized bed, the window to the left of me had the curtains drawn closed and other than a dripping faucet, I heard no sign of anything else.

I began to struggle to free my hands and try and escape but before I could get too far I heard someone swipe a card key in the door to unlatch it. In walked my captor, the same man with the long black hair and dark eyes that I had seen before came in.

"Ah, good you're awake." He acknowledged.

"No thanks to you," I muttered curtly. "What kind of drug did you use on me anyway?"

"I didn't." He sighed rather impatiently; all while picking up a newspaper and thumbing through it.

"What do you mean you didn't?" I said becoming impatient myself.

He sat down in another chair that was at the foot of the bed and propped his feet onto the end of the mattress.

"What does it sound like I mean?"

"People don't just pass out for no reason, now what did you do to me?"

"Nothing." He grinned, obviously enjoying my frustration with him. "People tend to pass out once they deprive themselves of oxygen as you did. Apparently the adrenaline of our little scuffle followed by you trying to scream and catch your breath at the same time was enough to render you unconscious."

"Okay fine," I said defeated. Then I remembered the bigger picture. "Better question, why am I here? If you think you can get money from me, well you're wrong. I am not rich; I have no family, nothing. Or maybe you're just some sick pervert who kidnaps women all the time and if that be the case let me tell you I am going to be one tough bitch to kill." With that I inhaled deeply to let out a scream.

Before I could even muster up enough air he was standing in front of me with his hand over my mouth prepared to stop me once again.

"I am getting very tired of you trying to do that." He said through gritted teeth. "I could have easily gagged you when I put you here but I thought against it, don't think I won't change my mind! Now you are going to behave yourself or else." He slowly put his hand down from my face; he then set his chair in front of mine and took a seat again.

"Or else?" I laughed. "Or else? You kidnap me, tie me up and the best threat you can give is 'or else?'"

"When I think of a good enough threat to shut you up I'll have something better then 'or else,'" he said. "Now if you promise to be a good girl I will untie you're hands.

"I promise." I said. He pulled out a small knife from his boot and cut the ropes.

"Did you have to tie them so tight?"

"Weren't we just about to discuss why we are here or would you just like to continue picking at the mundane details of our current situation?" He said bemused.

"Fine, would you please enlighten me?"

"What do you know about your boyfriend?" he asked.

"Do you always answer a question with a question?" I responded.

"Do _you_ ever focus on the main issue at hand?"

"No." I said with a smile. He blinked at me in disbelief. _I bet you weren't anticipating that answer now were you?_

He sighed again. "Can we just get through this? Tell me what you _think_ you know."

I refrained from responding to his asking _'what I think I know'._ "Lucas Miller's family owned a vineyard before they passed a few years ago, they left it to him. He graduated high school at sixteen, went to Harvard to study prelaw before entering Harvard Law School and he has been with a private firm dealing with the wealthy men who want to divorce their wives so they can marry someone younger." I said. "Oh and he is a Gemini" I added sarcastically.

"Hmm." He responded.

"What do you mean hmm?" I questioned. "Who are you? How do you know Lucas?"

"Oh please excuse me for not introducing myself earlier." He said politely. "I am Gregory, I would have actually liked to have introduced myself when you answered the door to me but you kicked me in a rather sensitive place when I tried to let myself in."

"Let yourself in?" I gasped. "I don't know how you were raised but it is customary in most societies to wait to be _invited_ in first."

"I would have waited for you to invite me in had I not felt that you would have wasted too much time gawking at me when I was at the door." He said, smirking at me.

I tried hard to ignore the blush the crept onto my cheeks. "I was hardly gawking at you; I have a boyfriend which I thought you were aware of. Anyway aren't we supposed to be talking about him?" I said trying to change the subject.

He ignored me. "Just because you are taken does not mean that you can't find other men attractive. You sure couldn't take your eyes off of me."

"You're arrogant."

"You're smitten."

"You're avoiding the main subject at hand."

"You should talk, this is the first time you have prioritized what we should be discussing."

"It deals with something-_someone_ that is important to me." I sniffed.

"Yeah, sure. Someone who has been lying to you since day one." He snorted.

"What?" I asked, just barely above a whisper.

"There is no such person as Lucas Miller." He blurted out. "At least not in your world. Lucas Miller's real name is Brian Costello. His family has known my family for quite some time as well as some other families within my circle of people."

"Brian Costello?" I repeated to myself. _No it can't be true._

"Anyway," he continued. "Brian has been squandering money from my family and the families of some of my friends for years. Ever since his parents, who are alive and well I might add, cut him off for dropping out of high school. He changed his name two years ago and moved to the very city in which you reside."

"Is that it?" I asked numbly.

"No, but I am not sure if you are prepared for the rest."

"Don't try to spare me now!"

"Fine." He continued. "When he just disappeared we hired people to come find him, and we found him connected to you. Upon further investigation we found that he had been following you for quite some time."

"Are you saying that he stalked me?"

"Yes." He answered. "A few people I know ransacked his apartment, there were a lot of pictures of you that indicated that he had been following you. Plus there was a journal that recorded your whereabouts, as well as information he picked up about you from a few investigators of his own that he hired."

"Why?"

"You were the perfect decoy. He chose to find a girl with no family and who earned barely enough money to care for herself. No one would expect him to hide behind you, we figured he would go for some wealthy young girl who he could charm so that way she would just give him money. Then he could pay us back and dump her without any legal obligation to pay her back."

"He didn't choose a girl like that though, he chose me! It must mean that he loved me, and maybe he didn't stalk me, maybe he was just too shy to ever approach me!" _There just had to be some justification for all of this._

"So rather than approach you he takes pictures of you without your knowledge and recorded everything he could about you?" He asked bewildered.

I didn't answer.

"Whatever the case, his clear obsession with you is why you're here." He said.

"Oh, and are you going to be any more specific than that?"

"Yes Aurie," he said taking his hand he gently lifted up my chin. "You're live bait."


	3. What's This Feeling?

"Come again?" I said.

"You're live bait." Gregory repeated. "Look it won't be as bad as it sounds-"

"Oh, it won't? How will it be then?!"

"All we need to do is let him know that we have you, we tell him that he won't see you again until he gets the money back. I figured out that he still has most of it, he's been saving it to try and leave the country and start a new life, most likely with you."

"What if you're wrong?" I shouted. "What if he doesn't have any of the money, what happens to him and me for that matter?"

"No one has to get hurt." Ha assured me.

"People are going to figure out that I'm missing." I reminded him.

"Aurie, that has been taken care of to the fullest." He said. "I have an acquaintance who is a doctor; we have set it up to tell both your work and your landlord that you were in some terrible accident and that you are in critical condition at a nearby hospital."

"People might try and visit me, what happens when I'm not there?"

"The doctors and nurses on sight have been told that only family is allowed to visit you and that the most they can do is give anyone who is curious written updates on your condition."

"There are people who know I don't have any family though." I pointed out.

"Very true, but nonetheless the hospital is trained to follow their policies." He countered.

_He has thought all this through._ I thought nervously.

"How long have you been planning all of this?" I asked.

He got up from his chair and sighed. I watched him as he ran his fingers through his hair and gazed toward the window, the curtains were still closed and I realized I didn't even know what time it was. It must have been close to eleven or twelve when he took me.

"A few months." He said.

"What?" I said. I forgot I had even asked him the question.

"A few months." He repeated.

"Oh." I really didn't know how to respond to that.

"How are you feeling?" He asked sincerely. "I mean are you okay, I realize this is a lot to take in"

"I'm fine." _I'm fine. I am always just fine._ "I don't know if I believe you completely."

"What do you mean?" He asked, brows furrowed.

"I mean about Lu-Brian." I answered.

"Then you're a fool." He said bluntly.

"How dare you! You have no right to call me that!"

"No right? I have no right? That's a laugh." He said. "I am trying to help you here-"

"Oh bull you arrogant jerk, even if your story is true you're just out to get your money back!" I said.

Suddenly he was in front of me again his face just inches from mine. "I have no reason to lie to you. You must realize that what I am telling you is true I mean, it must make sense to you. Nothing he told you has added up has it? You were together a year, you never went to his work, never saw his parents, none of what he told you makes sense!"

_No ,no, no, I will not believe it._ I was breathing heavy again, it felt like there was not enough air in the world to satisfy my lungs.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine!" I repeated.

"Are you ever anything other than fine?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." He said, he stepped away again and looked back at the curtains, hands on his hips.

"Don't back out now, what exactly did you mean by that?"

"It seems every time someone asks you how you are, you are only ever just fine." He said.

"How exactly are you aware of this?" I interrogated.

"It wasn't anything to invasive into your life." He added. "I was just sent to look into you and make sure you weren't part of his scheme or anything."

"Look into me? You mean follow me." I accused.

"If you wish to put it that way yes." Gregory said, more to himself than me.

"You followed me! You jerk what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I already told you why I had to do it!" He said, defending himself.

"What all did you find out about me."

"Orphaned at a young age, parents died tragically in a car accident." He said. The hard breathing from me began to return, as well as tears that I refused to release. _No tears, not one, I'm fine, just fine._ "You were raised in a foster home in the west coast but moved here once you graduated high school. After making a life for yourself you were a loner for the most part." He said. "You wake up sometimes in the middle of the night to make yourself a fried egg sandwich, you have the TV on but spend your time looking out the window instead, and you like to listen to Dean Martin."

I don't know what happened to me but something reached inside of me and compelled me to stand up and place myself directly in front of him. I wound my arm back and hit him hard across the face.

His head snapped to one side, all sign of emotion drained from his face as he slowly moved back to look at me.

I reached around to hit him again but he grabbed my arm and pulled me against him. For what seemed like an eternity I stared into his coal black eyes. I suddenly felt warm inside, a sense of calm ran through me.

"Don't do that ever again." He warned. His words seemed cold and distant, but his eyes looked playful and a smirk began to appear on his face.

"Or what?" I challenged.

"Or else." He grinned. I couldn't help but smile back.

The moment between us seemed so-different. I forgot about everything else and just focused on the two of us standing so close.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked.

I scrunched up my face in a grimace. "I hate being asked that question."

"Why?"

"It just feels so invasive, my thoughts are silly, intimate, odd and-I don't know I just don't like to share them." I said. "I don't even keep a journal."

"I'm sorry if I offended you." He said softly.

"You didn't." I assured him.

"Good." We were quiet again. He still held my arm, and the rest of me for that matter, close to him.

I took the time to study the rest of his face. His high cheekbones, the shape of his full lips, and his perfect skin. Just then I heard a loud buzzing.

He swore silently under his breath and pulled out a cell phone from his pocket.

"You should try and get some rest." He said. "I'll be right outside so don't try anything."

He opened the door, it was still night time I realized. He stepped outside, but not before pulling the curtains open just a crack.

"So I can keep an eye on you." He told me over his shoulder.

I shrugged him off and pulled back the covers on the bed. It was soft and warm. I rest my head onto the pillow and noticed a small clock on the nightstand. Red numbers showed me that it was half passed two in the morning. I yawned not realizing how tired I had been, then I slowly shut my eyes.


	4. Questions and Accusations

*****GREGORY'S POINT OF VIEW*****

It didn't take her long to fall asleep. I peeked through the sliver in the window where I had pulled the curtain back. Her wavy, dark hair fell slightly into her lovely face, and her long, dark eyelashes brushed gently onto the tops of her cheeks.

My phone buzzed again. The caller ID read; _Xavier, _my father.

"What is it?" I snapped.

"Charming as always, Gregory." Xavier said. _Unfazed by anything as always, Father._ I thought.

"What is it you need dad." I said again trying to sound more patient.

"Have you taken her yet?" He finally asked.

"Yes."

"And there were no problems?"

"We will have to fix her door, and I suffered a harsh kick in the groin."

There was laughter at the other end. "Serves you right Gregory." Then in a more serious tone, "Have you told her about Brian, or whatever name he is going by?"

"Yes, she had a hard time believing it, I'm not even sure that she still believes me completely."

"What do you mean she doesn't believe you completely?" He questioned.

"I think that she is just trying to digest everything." I said.

"So you think she will cooperate?" He asked nervously.

"Yes." I lied. I actually wasn't sure. She had a fire in her that let me know that she would set her own rules to how this operation would go.

"Have you told her about us?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It hasn't come up." I defended, it wasn't the best excuse but it was all I had.

"When do you actually think telling her we're vampires will come up Gregory?" He whispered harshly. "You have to tell her the truth. The council wants her to be told what we are to build trust and get her to cooperate more."

"Being a member of the council as well I am quite aware of that." I said curtly. "By the way, the council only wants her to know so they can intimidate her to cooperate."

Xavier sighed on the other end. "I'm sorry. I know that you are on the council too, but you know that you are a new member, they are trying to test you to see if you can handle the girl and catch Brian, otherwise you will ruin your credibility in the community."

"I am well aware of that too, and the girl has a name."

"Right, Ariella isn't it?"

"Aurelia. Her name is Aurelia, but she prefers Aurie."

"Regardless. When are you set to arrive at the penthouse?" Xavier asked, clearly oblivious.

"Soon." I said. "She is asleep right now. When she wakes up we will freshen up , get some food and then be on our way. It's only about a two hour drive to the penthouse."

"Did you pack her a bag?"

"No, not exactly."

"Elaborate Gregory." My father said cautiously.

"I've bought her all new soaps and things, plus a new wardrobe."

"You've what?"

"I wanted her to have a few nice things. I feel so sorry for her; she was thrown into the world without a leg to stand on. She does not have a single friend in the world. She only had some man who she thought she loved."

"You don't know he doesn't really love her." He challenged.

"Obsession is hardly love. Besides if he loved her he wouldn't have lied to her about who he really was and what he has been up to." I countered.

"If he had let her in on all that we may be trying to bring her to justice too, rather than have her on our side." He pointed out.

"Perhaps." I muttered in defeat.

"You haven't been one hundred percent honest with her yourself it seems." My father accused.

"I haven't lied to her."

"An omission of the truth isn't exactly being honest with her son."

"Not necessarily. It is not like I am trying to avoid telling her what we are, I am just waiting for the right opportunity that's all. Besides, who says I love her, I've just been doing the task I have been assigned to do."

"Very true, but when you found out that she was a victim you wanted to protect her, because you care for her." He continued on.

"It was my job to protect her and care for her." I said.

"No, it is your job to bring her here to get our money paid back to us; you are under no further obligation other than that."

"I am not going to act like some cold hearted villain who is out to use her for my own benefit." I hissed. "She has done nothing to deserve such treatment."

"Since when do you care about the treatment of humans anyway, you've always held them at an arms length from you before."

"She's different. This whole situation is different."

"How so?" He pressed. "What is it about her innocent victim story that is so different from anyone else's? Hundreds of girls day by day are misused by men. They are cheated on, financially drained, raped, beaten, left to take care of their infants on their own and lied to. What makes her so special Gregory?"

"I don't know." I murmured, surrendering to his questioning.

"Maybe you're feelings for her are more powerful than you think. They are definitely stronger than I would have ever anticipated. At most I would have suspected that you would show a little sympathy toward her disposition but then you would remain indifferent."

"I wasn't prepared for it either okay!" I sighed. "Look, it doesn't matter what I think about her. You know our ways, a vampire and a human joining together hardly ever happens in our world."

"But it does happen; we have always made exceptions for special cases my boy."

"Well, I don't want to be one of those special cases."

"You're in denial." He accused. _Am I?_

"Bye Father." I said, wanting this whole interrogation to end.

"Be here soon."

I snapped my phone shut and inhaled deeply, pinching bridge of my nose and squeezing my eyes shut I hoped I could find a way around having to tell her. I let myself in the room pushing out any thoughts of telling her what I was for now. She still lay there sleeping, only her chest moving up and down from her breathing.

"Beautiful." I muttered in spite of myself.

I leaned in close to her and gave her a light kiss on the forehead. She moaned slightly. _Perhaps another on the lips._

I shook of the thought as quickly as it came. Grabbing a few things from my duffle bag I headed straight for the shower hoping to try and clear my head a little.


	5. Discovering the Impossible

_Lucas Miller's real name is Brian Costello._

_Upon further investigation we found that he had been following you for quite some time._

_You were the perfect decoy. He chose to find a girl with no family and who earned barely enough money to care for herself. No one would expect him to hide behind you._

My eyes snapped open as I jerked myself upright in the worn motel mattress. The events of the night before came rushing back to me. I had been kidnapped. Hell, I had been more than just kidnapped, I had been taken by this gorgeous freak who just told me that the one person that I have opened myself up to since my parents died, was a thieving con artist who wasn't at all who he said he was. What had I done to deserve this?

I held my head in my hands. It hurt. All of me hurt. From my muscles to my heart and soul, I felt so unbearably used and weak and vulnerable. My whole world would be changed forever. _I swear I will never trust again. I swear for as long as I live I will NEVER open my heart to another man or anyone else for that matter. Everyone either dies, or they lie to you. I did nothing to deserve this and I will never let myself hurt again. _

As I got out of bed I noticed Gregory was not in the room. _He must still be outside. _I went to go to the bathroom to try and wash up a little bit. _Great I have no clothes. _Looking down I realized I was in the same sweat pants and long sleeved tee that I had worn as my pajamas. Not caring, I proceeded to the bathroom and opened the door without even considering that someone might be at the other end.

There on the other side of the door was none other than my captor, wearing nothing but a towel loosely around his waist and still dripping from what I could most definitely assume was his early morning shower. His body was perfect. Beautiful abs that were the kind men spent years trying to achieve at the gym, his arms and shoulders seemed so much more glorious than when I first noticed them back at my apartment, and his long black hair seemed so much…_sexier_, wet and tousled.

"Oh-I I'm so s-sor-ry I didn't realize!" I sputtered. He sauntered toward me stopping less than a foot in front of me. He tucked a piece of loose hair behind my ear just so he could lean in to it and whisper to me.

"Like what you see?" He grazed the tip of his nose against my cheek and landed a kiss so light and soft at the corner of my mouth that I wasn't even sure that it happened.

"I-um I was just-" I couldn't speak. My heart beat so fast that I felt it in my throat. I felt; excited, curious, embarrassed, flustered, and enticed all at the same time.

"You just what?" He whispered, his lips still at the corner of my mouth. He moved down, brushing his lips against my neck and pausing at my collar bone. He rested his head on my shoulder and looked up at me innocently.

I sighed, hoping to relax myself to try and articulate an actual sentence. "I just wanted to clean up a little. I thought you were still outside, I would have knocked otherwise."

"You didn't sleep long."

"I know, I guess it must be all the adrenaline of everything."

He lifted his head from my shoulder, which at least helped my breath better for which I was thankful. Yet at the same time my shoulder felt cold in his absence, I almost wish he hadn't moved it.

When he didn't say anything I continued on. "So, do you know if I can-I mean, I only have on this," I said gesturing to my less than day time appropriate ensemble.

He grinned slightly, "I have bought you some clothes and things for you to wash up with. There's not that much, since I have put most of it at our next location." He said.

"You bought me clothes? What next location, what are you-" he put a finger over my lips to keep me from speaking.

"Relax, I didn't know if I would be able to get you to get your things packed when I brought you here so I bought you things just in case, and our next destination will be my home." He said. "When we get there you and I can get a bit more…_comfortable."_ He added with a wicked smile.

I had no idea what he meant by that and I was afraid that I didn't want to know.

"If you don't mind Aurie, I would appreciate it if you would excuse me so I can finish getting dressed." He said more somberly. "Oh, and that blue duffle bag next to the black one has the stuff you may need to freshen up."

"Right. Sorry, again."

"That's just fine baby."

Normally I would have scolded some creep, who called me _baby_, but I had been so flabbergasted and he had been so_ dreamy, _that I chose to let the term of endearment slide. I almost liked him calling me baby.

I went over to the duffle bag and searched through it. There must have been hundreds of dollars worth of clothes all in my sizes. _This stuff is more than I have in my entire closet, and he said most of it wasn't even here. _I pulled out a pair of designer jeans and a white long sleeved shirt as well as a brush and some face soap that was also packed neatly in the bag.

I heard the bathroom door open. Gregory stepped out in what looked like Armani jeans, expensive black boots and a black t-shirt that hugged him closely.

"All yours." He said.

"Thanks." I murmured.

"Mhmm" He said not taking his eyes off me.

I walked through the door of the bathroom and shut it tight behind me. Facing myself in the mirror I felt a bit of shock run through me. The image I saw looking back at me was so different than the blurred image I had seen of myself earlier in the steamed up bathroom mirror of my apartment. The girl looking back at me had a flushed face and dark circle under her eyes. Her hair was matted and tangled, her entire body seemed slumped over in exhaustion. I took the brush and ran it through my hair over and over again until it looked smooth and soft. Changing quickly I slipped the clothes on only to realize that they were more than just my size, but they seemed like they were tailor made for me. I washed my face quickly and headed back outside the bathroom.

Gregory had both bags slung over his shoulder and he was leaning against the wall outside the bathroom door.

"Took you long enough." He smirked.

"Well where do we go from here, your place?" I asked, ignoring his comment.

"Aren't you hungry at all?" He asked.

I actually was very hungry, it was only until he pointed it out that I realized it. My stomach as if on cue growled impatiently.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said. "Come, there is a diner just down the road."

We walked over to his car. His beautiful, sleek, black BMW lay in the motel parking lot, sticking out against the rusty station wagons and beaten up vans that also consumed the parking lot. He popped the trunk and slid the duffle bags inside and popping it closed again. He headed for the front passenger door and opened it for me.

"Miss Lewis." He said formally.

"Thank you Mr.-"

"Renard, it's French." He said, leaning in close he added "It means cunning."

"Thank you Mr. Renard." I said ignoring his attempt to try and unnerve me again. I slipped passed him and settled into the smooth leather seats. He clicked the door behind me and slid into the driver's seat. We drove to the diner without a word uttered between us. Even as we went inside and two waitresses tried to seat us at the same time so they could wait on Gregory, not another word was spoken.

"Can I get you anything?" A bleach blonde waitress asked giving a grin and a side glance to her coworker who glared at her from the register, clearly jealous that she had lost getting to seat us to the other girl.

"Coffee, black please. Then for my meal I would like your traditional omelet and some fruit on the side. " Gregory said.

"Great! Coming right up." She said smiling at him like crazy before walking away.

"Excuse me." Gregory called after her. "Didn't you forget to ask something?"

"What is that?" She said oblivious.

"I think you forgot to ask _her _what she wants." He said tilting his head toward me.

"Right sorry, what do you want?" She sniped.

"Water is just fine for a drink, then maybe a cheeseburger and fries." I said quietly.

"Wonderful." She said before walking toward the kitchen.

"Cheeseburger and fries for breakfast?" Gregory questioned.

"Yeah." I said curtly. He just grinned then stared outside the window, not speaking again. He seemed different, his face seemed paler, and his eyes looked tired like he hadn't slept in years. _He is probably just exhausted like me_.

A few moments later the waitress came back and placed our food on the table. Gregory thanked her without looking up and I dug in my food, barely noticing her frown and stomp away.

As we were about to finish the waitress returned with what looked like reapplied make-up smeared across her face.

"Here is your check." She said huskily. "You know I am done for the day, I worked the nightshift so if you need anything else before I head out I will be sure to get it for you." She continued, speaking really only to Gregory.

"No thank you." He said. This time he looked her right in the eye and smiled at her, a slow sexy smile. It was different than any of the grins or smirks he gave me, this one was far more sinister.

The waitress smiled back then slowly walked away casting a look over her shoulder as she left the restaurant.

"Excuse me Aurie." He said. "Here pay the register for me okay?" He handed me a credit card then left the same direction as the waitress.

"Where are you going?" I shouted after him.

"I'll be right back you just wait here, I mean it Aurie." Then he was gone.

I paid up front then waited just outside, taking in my surroundings. We were in the middle of nowhere. Nothing but this restaurant buried inside hills and trees with a single road that led to the highway.

"Stop that!" I heard someone say. Only the person did not sound like they wanted whatever the other person was doing to stop. "I mean it!" The voice giggled.

With nothing better to do I followed the sound and saw two people in some dark corner behind the building. My heart dropped. Gregory had his neck latched onto the blonde waitress, kissing away as he pressed her against the wall_. _

The waitress kept laughing and I felt to numb to do anything other than stare. She moved her head slightly and that's when I saw it. Gregory wasn't kissing her neck he was _biting_ it. A small drop of blood slid down her neck and Gregory's lips were coated with crimson liquid.

I gasped so loud that Gregory stopped and turned to look at me. The waitress looked at me too and smiled evilly like she had won some contest. _Yeah well at least someone isn't drinking my blood you shallow idiot! _Gregory spun his head back to say something to her.

I didn't waste another second. I took off running into the thick cluster of trees hoping to get as far away from him as possible. _Oh my god, he's a-he's a-._

I was knocked down onto my back, my head hitting against the ground as I felt something heavy on my chest. It was Gregory. He was straddling my waist, he then pinned my arms above my head with one strong hand, using his free hand to grab my chin and get me to look at him.

"Now, now baby, no need to overreact. I just need you to listen to me okay?"

I struggled, but then I realized it was useless. I nodded too scared to speak.

"Good girl, now where shall I begin?"


	6. Understandings

"Why don't you try getting off of me for starters?" I spat. Suddenly filled with courage.

"Only if you promise not to run away again." Gregory said.

"I promise."

"Good." He responded getting off of me and helping me to my feet. I yanked away from his grasp as soon as I had my balance and glared at him.

"What are you?" I shouted.

"If I told you the truth you wouldn't believe it." He said darkly.

"Try me." I responded. There was no way in hell that there could be anything I would not believe at this point. After everything I have heard and seen since last night it was hard to wrap my head around not believing his explanation.

"I'm a vampire." He sighed. _Well apparently I'm wrong._

"Are you actually under the impression that I am going to believe that load of-" I began. But before the words could leave my mouth I was airborne. Gregory had scooped me up bridal style and had bound from the point we were standing to the top of a nearby tree. I gazed at the ground below me in absolute horror. We must have been a good forty feet high. Then without rhyme or reason he held me out and dropped me. I sped down to the ground almost sure that I was going to die, almost sure that he had decided to just kill me, but as my body came within a few feet of the ground I was caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Do you believe me now?" He said. I looked at him straight in the face. _He looks different again. _I noted. The color had come back in his face and the dark circles that were under his eyes just moments ago had vanished. However that did not hold my attention for long. What did, were two long elegant white canines that were protruding over his lip.

"Oh my God." I breathed.

He looked at me confused before realizing what had me confounded. "Oh sorry." He said, then he slid his tongue across his teeth, across his _fangs, _and suddenly they looked normal again.

"Oh my God." I repeated.

"We will have this discussion in the car, we're late." He said. Still carrying me he spun on his heel and headed back toward the restaurant where the car was still parked. All of it was a blur to me, him leaving the forest, walking to the car, the waitress that he had been _drinking from_ stumbling over to her car and Gregory setting me in the passenger seat. It wasn't until we were driving along the road that he broke the silence.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I don't understand, you can't be a-a _vampire._" I said barely whispering the last word.

"Yet I am." He said. He took a deep breath before continuing on. "I was born this way, as were my parents, and their parents and so on and so forth. Our kind has never slept in a coffin, turned into any animal; especially a bat and we have enjoyed many a meal that has had garlic as an ingredient. If you wave a cross in front of us the only good it does is inform us of your faith. Splashing us with holy water will get us wet and the sun will make us neither burn nor _sparkle_." He said.

"I never believed that anyone could naturally sparkle in the sunlight anyway." I muttered. He cast a sideways glance like he was both amused and surprised that that was the only response I had to his telling me about being a vampire.

"Anyway." He said. "We are faster and stronger than any human could ever be, and though we are not immortal I will live for centuries; all the while aging very slowly, but we will never look any older than thirty or forty. No one can figure out why that is, perhaps something in the DNA but nonetheless very few have questioned it since no one ever objects to anti-aging techniques."

"So then how old are _you_ really?"

He grinned. "Only twenty seven, just six years older than you."

"Can I kill you with a wooden stake to the heart?" I asked.

"You can kill anyone with anything when you plunge it into their hearts Aurie." He said. "However I had hoped that I have proven to you enough at this point that there is no need to kill me, if that's what you're thinking."

"It wasn't." I assured softly. I actually don't know why I had even asked. What difference did it make? Even if I wanted to kill him he said it himself, he was stronger and faster, I was truly no match for him. I haven't been able to even get away from him, any attempt to try and run he has always caught me. But the thing was, that the last thing I could even think about was kill him, just trying to imagine the task made me dizzy and feel claustrophobic, like the four doors of his car were caving in on me.

"Aren't you going to ask about what you saw back there?" He said his brows furrowed slightly as he continued to stare down the road. I looked at him allowing him to just answer the question without me having to awkwardly ask. He sighed. "Yes, I feed from humans." I shuttered at the term _feed. _"I have never once fed to the point of death, no one ever has in our world, it is the very first law that we live by and any vampire who breaks would be sentenced to death."

"Will she be okay? She looked drunk when you left her, I mean she had to drive home, she won't crash into something right?" I asked.

"She will be fine, blood loss always makes those we feed on look out of it, but they are in more control than most would realize. She'll be tired and she won't remember being with me behind the restaurant but other than that she will be perfectly fine." I tried not to think about seeing him with her. Something about seeing him with that girl, even knowing that she was just a meal to him, made me feel hurt inside.

I stared back down at the road just as he was. _Why was I so calm with this? It seems so crazy and yet logical all at the same time. _That's when something occurred to me.

"Gregory."

"Yes Aurie?"

"Luc-Brian, you told me he stole from you, your family and other families within your circle of friends. When you said that did you mean that Brian stole from vampires?"

"Yes I did."

"But how? Why? It just doesn't make any sense I mean, how was he able to convince you to lend him money? He is just some ordinary human just like me, why would you loan him money in the first place." The moment I said it was the moment I put the pieces of the puzzle together that made sense. "Brian is a vampire."

"Yes he is, but his lineage does not go very far back. His great grandfather was a lawyer who defended our kind in a trial years back where a woman claimed that one of our own had done something to her. In reality she was just fed from but remembered more of the experience than she was supposed to. The man was successful at proving the vampire innocent. Due to the good deed our head of council granted him the chance to be changed, Brian's great grandfather accepted saying he would abide by the rules but that he wanted his new wife changed as well. His terms were accepted and then generations later Brian came along. His _father _is our accountant and that's how we figure he got a hold of our financial records. When Brian's father cut him off for continuing to drink and womanize after dropping quitting school, Brian stole the money and even was able to get a few more sympathetic vampires to loan him money, all of which he saved and invested. You know the rest."

"Why didn't you tell me this from the beginning?" I asked. "You wanted me to trust you and you keep something as huge as this from me!"

"I didn't want to tell you everything all at once; I need to see how much you would believe little by little before telling you the whole story. Think Aurie, if when I told you about whom your boyfriend really was and you didn't believe me, would you believe that both he and I were vampires."

"No, I guess not." I admitted. "Is there anything else I know? I mean you talked about some kind of council or whatever, are they the ones who ordered you to retrieve me for this whole ploy?"

"Sort of, I was more of assigned than ordered, seeing as how I am a member of the council."

_Oh great._

"Aurie, are you going to be okay?"

"Do I have a choice one way or the other?" I said. It came out a lot angrier than I had intended. "Look it is just going to take me a few moments to adjust to all of this. Just a little while ago my ex-boyfriend was a completely different person and vampires were creatures that went from being scary legends to sexy heroes in books and movies."

"Ex-boyfriend?"

"What?" I asked.

"You said ex-boyfriend." Gregory stated.

"Oh well, I mean I guess he still is my boyfriend technically, but I guess it won't last long once I get to speak to him, whenever that is." I sighed.

"Soon, this will all be over soon and you can go back to your old life." He told me. _But I couldn't go back to my old life; none of it will ever be the same again. Ever. _Then he spoke again. "Well, you were right about one thing, we _are _sexy." He said with a grin trying to lighten the mood. I tried not to smile. "It _will _be okay Aurie, I promise."


	7. Intensification

Sometime after Gregory had assured me that I would be okay I had fallen asleep. The only thing I remembered was my body feeling so heavy; any energy that was left had been completely drained by his whole new load of revelations. What choice did I have but to accept what he had to tell me, because even if there was so much as a sliver of a chance that everything that he told me was a lie, and that he was in fact a psycho path, which I doubted, the last thing I wanted to do was make him angry.

I was awake, but my eyes remained closed as I somehow hoped that it had all been a bad dream and that by keeping my eyes closed it would shove out any unwanted realities. Alas, I grew anxious and allowed myself to open my eyes. Someone had slipped me under the covers of a very large bed with soft cream sheets, a dark red blanket and a black comforter that was hitched all the way up to my collarbone. Beside me I noticed a note with my name printed on it, I picked it up to read it.

_Aurie,_

_The bathroom, is the door closest to you with everything that you will need, and _

_there are clothes for you in the closet by the sliding glass door. There is also_

_plenty of food in the fridge if you are hungry. Please make yourself at home._

_Gregory._

I got out of bed, my feet touched the cold hardwood floor and I winced a little, I must have hurt a muscle when I was running from Gregory in the forest. _I wonder where he could be._

"Gregory?" I called. With no answer I made my way to what he had said was the bathroom door and knocked softly. With no reply I peeked inside; it was the most elegant bathroom I had ever seen. A large Jacuzzi bath and a grand shower were placed side by side, looking so incredibly inviting. The sink had gold faucets and marble counter tops and the entire room was decorated in various off whites and creams. Leaving that room I drew open the curtains of the sliding glass door, his balcony stretched out wide and had a huge fireplace all of which was greeted with a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean, with golden sand touching its borders. Even with the glass door shut tight to keep out the cold winter air I could smell the salty air flowing toward me.

The closet next to the door was stuffed with designer clothes of both mine and his looking like they belonged to a pair of newlyweds rather than a pair of random people having to stay with one another for a short while. I shrugged off my wrinkled clothes and changed into a simple blue dress.

My curiosity soon got the better of me as I explored the rest of his home. The kitchen was so well equipped with every gadget and gizmo that a pro chef would weep with joy in its presence. Nearby a dining table that could fit six was beautifully decorated with red and gold place settings. The living room was spacious and had everything; high bookshelves stuffed with every kind of novel imaginable, a huge entertainment system, chairs and a comfy couch and even a pool table. _It's the perfect bachelor pad._

A door I hadn't realized that I had passed earlier caught my attention. _I wonder what this could lead to. Probably just another closet or something. _Not thinking twice I creaked it open and looked inside only to see that it was another bathroom. It was another bathroom with yet another half naked Gregory. At least this time instead of a towel he had sweatpants on and he was dry.

"I'm sorry. Again-oh jeez!" I said.

"You know if you are going to keep doing that I am going to have to ask that you try and walk in on me _before _I get into the shower, that way I can be polite enough to offer to have you join me." He replied.

"Oh I am sure that would be something you would truly enjoy." I said sarcastically.

"It most definitely would be." He said darkly. He struck his arm out snapping it around my waist and brought me to him, his free hand tangling in my hair. "I am not opposed to taking a second shower it I knew that I would have company this lovely."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what baby?" He asked innocently, staring at my lips hungrily.

"Trying to seduce me like you are interested or something!"

"Maybe I am interested." He said seriously.

"W-Why, why would you be?" I asked. "I mean I bet a guy like you would be able to get any girl he wanted."

"Maybe it's you I want."

"Again I ask why, my whole life has been a train wreck and I am hardly anything spectacular even without the drama."

"Aurie," he said looking into my eyes now. "The things that you have dealt with in your life are hardly your fault, and very few can build something out of nothing like you have, _that _and the fact that you are truly…beautiful, and smart, and incredibly unique in the best way, most definitely makes you spectacular. It makes you beyond spectacular. I never want to hear you say otherwise again, you are above self deprecation, do you understand me?"

I nodded, unable to speak. I could feel tears that I could no longer hold stream down my face. He put his hands on either side of my face to wipe my cheeks clean.

"Please don't cry." He said.

That just made me want to weep even more. I put my hands over his which were still lightly placed on my face.

"Aurie." He whispered to me.

I looked up and realized how close we were to one another; his lips were only inches from mine. He leaned in close, and for the first time since I had met him all I could think about was that single moment. Not a single terror or trial of my life before this moment existed. I just need one thing.

I leaned in closer to him and our lips met. His kiss began so soft and sweet. Bringing a hand to my waist to pull me even closer, if at all possible, and intensified everything. I looped my arms around his neck and moaned slightly. He backed me up until I was pressed between the wall and him. He left my lips so that he could kiss me from my jawbone all the way down to my neck and then back up again. He repeated to do the same thing on the other side and I twisted my fingers through his thick, soft, black hair.

He broke away from me and rested his forehead against mine smiling to himself. I cupped the side of his face to bring his lips back to mine. He lifted me up so that my legs were wrapped around his waist and he sped us to his room then gently putme on the bed, his arms holding his body just inches above mine. He kissed me again and then broke off quickly, within seconds he was off of me and stood on the floor at the foot of the bed.

I sat up, surprised and breathing heavily.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "Did I do something wrong."

"No, no you didn't!" He exclaimed breathlessly, as he grabbed my face and kissed me full on the mouth again before returning to his standing spot at the end of the bed. "How do you feel about me?"

"I don't know." I said. "I mean I think, that despite everything that has happened to me and despite not knowing you very well I can trust you, and I feel safe with you. I also know that the moment that we just had was the most intense and exciting thing that has ever happened to me. For once I didn't have to over think every single aspect because I know, I mean, I can feel that I am going to be okay as long as you're with me. I know that must sound crazy."

He laughed, though it had no humor behind it. "Trust me Aurie, it is not crazy. It is frightening but not crazy."

"Frightening?" I said hurt.

"Yes, because what you have just said has convinced me that everything that I have tried to push out of my mind involving feelings for you, has made me want you more, and now that you want me back I-"

"You what?" I asked.

"I think I may just keep you. All. To. Myself."


	8. Brace Yourself

"_**I think I may just keep you. All. To. Myself." **_

His words should have frightened me. It should have made me want to run out of his home and never look back. It should have made me want to change my identity so that he could never find me, and so I could forget about everything else that had ever happened to me.

Yet his words only made me want him more.

"Is that a promise?" I challenged. He looked at me eyebrows raised in slight surprise.

"It can be." He said. He stretched himself back out onto the bed next to me. Pulling me on top of him he brushed the hair out of my face and kissed me, lightly caressing my cheek with his thumb. I pulled away and rested my head on his strong chest, feeling the warm, bare skin, as he was still shirtless. His heart beat steadily against the side of my face as he ran his fingertips lightly up and down my spine.

"So what now?" I asked just above a whisper, not wanting to spoil the much anticipated moment between him and me.

"Well, you and I still have some unfinished business that we must handle." He said.

"I don't care about that, I mean I want you to have the money he stole from you and your family returned but other than that I don't care about _him_ anymore." I said, unable to repeat his name, not caring about his name or him for that matter, now that I had Gregory as a much better alternative.

"That's not what I was referring to." He said, with a devilish edge to his voice. In a flash we had switched positions. He was on top of me and I lay against the mattress, our legs intertwining together. He leaned in slowly, his eyes never leaving mine, and ran the tip of his nose along my nose before giving me an Eskimo kiss. He bit my lower lip and pulled on it gently with his teeth, then kissed me full on the mouth. His hands were on my hips and mine were in his hair.

I broke away briefly, trying to catch my breath. He didn't seem to notice as he continued to kiss my neck, my collar bone, all the way down to my navel. He stopped, and then sighed heavily; he brought himself up to kiss the tip of my earlobe. I heard him inhale deeply.

"What perfume do you wear?" He whispered. "You smell so _sweet_."

"I don't wear any." I said huskily.

"Oh." He said. I felt to sharp teeth graze against the thin skin of my neck.

"What are you doing?" I breathed.

"Just a taste, if that's alright." He said tenderly against my neck.

"Okay." I responded. He sunk his teeth into me and I felt light and free. I was in a dream world, floating in a sky filled with stars and comets shooting through the air in thousands of colors. He took one smooth gulp before licking the two small incisions he left behind. "Wow. That felt so different."

"Different good?" He asked.

"Different amazing." I said. "What was that? It was like you took me to someplace enchanted."

"You saw that too?" He asked. I nodded. "I don't know, that has never happened before."

Just then I heard a loud ringing.

"Damn it." He muttered. "If another phone disrupts me when I'm with you one more time I am going to smash it."

He swiped the phone that was on the nightstand and answered it quickly. "WHAT?" He bellowed. I tried to sit up but he grabbed me by the leg and slid me back down and ruffled my hair, giving me a quick smile. Then his mouth smoothed into a thin line and his eyes grew dark. "Yes, I understand." He replied to the person on the other end. "It will only take us a little while to get there, maybe ten minutes if we leave now." He said, nodding to a few things the other person said. "NO THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY! I'VE ALREADY TOLD MY FATHER THAT EV-" He shouted, before being interrupted. I touched his face gently and he softened a bit. He sighed deeply, "Yes I'll see you soon."

"They have him." I said. I could tell by the look in his eyes.

"Yes, we have to go now." He said. He rose up and headed to his closet. I got off the bed and smoothed my dress and hair. When he reemerged from the closet he had already put on a shirt and long black trench coat along with shoes. He brought me a pair of ballet flats and another black coat that resembled his.

"Are you sure you won't be too cold in that dress?" He questioned.

"Is where we're going as warm as your apartment?" I asked.

"Yes, I guess you should be fine." He said, sliding the coat onto me. He grabbed my hands tangling his fingers with mine. "Come, we must hurry"

* * *

The place he took me took looked more like a prison. It was about four stories high but had no windows, and a single door that had two very large guards in front of them. They stood so still that for a moment, I wasn't even sure they were real.

"Don't be frightened of them baby doll." Gregory said, leaning to speak softly in my ear, our hands still connected.

We walked up to them and their eyes shot toward me, if possible they stiffened more, making themselves look even bigger.

"Guards." Gregory acknowledged somberly. As if he had said _open sesame_, the guards stepped aside and the doors buzzed open. I sank closer to him as he led me down a dark hallway with a single elevator at the end.

"This place looks like the Twilight Zone." I muttered to him. He chuckled softly before pushing the elevator button to go up. The doors opened immediately, and he guided me inside pressing the button to the top floor. When the doors closed he swept me up into a deep kiss.

"What was that for?" I asked coyly.

"Because I felt like it." He said, greedily kissing me again. The doors dinged open half way to our destination and he pulled away.

"Well hello Gregory, so good to see you after such a long time." A man with brown hair that had gold streaks through it said, stepping in with us. He was only a few inches shorter than Gregory who I guessed was about six three, but he was far thinner and looked like he couldn't hold off well in a fight if he needed to.

"Carson." Gregory said, a slight edge to his voice.

"Who is this tasty treat you've brought with you?" Carson said, taking his finger and winding it in my hair. Just then Gregory snatched the other man's arm and lifted him until his feet were dangling in the air trying to find flat surface beneath them.

"Relax, I know who she is, Aurelia Lewis, the girl who we are going to dangle in front of Costello to get our dough back." Carson said, slightly annoyed. Gregory set him back down but did not free his arm. "Look I was just wondering if I could play with her a bit before anything has to happen." He added with a sneer. Gregory snapped, still holding Carson's arm he grabbed his throat with the other hand and pinned him against the elevator wall.

"She is_ mine._" Gregory said. "If you so much as breathe her air I will kill you." The elevator doors opened to our floor.

"Gregory." I said harshly grabbing his arm. A few people on the other side of the door were staring, and from what I could gather they were trying to determine whether or not to interfere or enjoy the show.

"Now, now boys play nicely, all of our mommies and daddies are here." A female voice said. She was stunning, with waist length, wavy auburn hair and grey eyes, and her black dress was hugging every curve she had. I suddenly felt inferior standing next to her.

"Marguerite." Gregory said releasing Carson. Carson straightened the lapels of his coat and Gregory glared at him as grabbed my hand and guided me, or _dragged_ me, out of the elevator. Carson stormed off down a deserted hallway while Marguerite linked her arm with Gregory's free arm. Now I felt even _more_ inferior.

"It's true, no matter how old boys get they are always boys." She said smiling widely. "Hello, you must be Aurelia, it's such a pleasure. I'm Marguerite." She stuck out an elegant hand for me to shake.

"Pleasure." I murmured back. I looked at Gregory who was completely oblivious to me being uncomfortable standing next to her. She glanced at Gregory and then back at me.

"You know, my kid brother over here has never taken a girl by the hand before. You must have swept him off his feet instantly." She said. Gregory gave her an unappreciative look.

"Your kid brother?"

"Yes." Gregory chimed. "Marguerite is my older, meddling sister."

"And Gregory is my little brother who still needs me to get him out of trouble. Though I must admit he is the best uncle in the whole world, or at least my daughter Gigi says so, he just adores her." She said. "I must go, I have to make sure that Carson realizes he overstepped himself." She looked over to me.  
"You'll have to excuse him, he's only seventeen and thinks that he rules the world, you know how that goes." With that she was off in the same way that Carson had left earlier.

"I didn't know that you had a niece, or a sister for that matter." I said.

"I was waiting until our first date to dispel that information." He said.

"First date?"

"It's the least I could do after keeping you as my prisoner." He said leaning in close to nuzzle his face in my hair, I giggled lightly. A few nearby people, or _vampires _I should assume since all of them were almost as stunning as Gregory turned our way. Embarrassed I tried to change the subject.

"So your sister seems lovely."

"Yes, she's the Peacemaker, literally." He said. "Ever since she was twelve she had been able to break up any fight between children and adults, it's a special quality she possesses, so our community dubbed her the Peacemaker."

"Wow." I said. "What about your niece, Gigi, how old is she?"

"Four, and brilliantly name after me." He said. "In our world you wait to find out what the baby is when it is born, my sister and her mate both were positive they were having a boy which was to be named Gregory, but out came a girl. They decided to just use part of my name, and took the two gs to make Gigi."

"That's so sweet." I said. Looking at his face light up when he spoke about his family.

Just then a man wearing a light suit approached us.

He spoke with a light accent. "It's time."

"Are you ready?" Gregory asked.

"Will you be with me the whole time?"

"Yes." He assured.

"Then I'm ready." With that I took a deep breath and we followed the man down a dim hall.


	9. Harsh Realities

The room Gregory led me into seemed so surreal.

It was like one of those police interrogation rooms, there were two chairs on either side of a small rectangular table and there was a two way mirror on the side. In the room there were two very large, squarely built men that resembled the guards I had seen earlier. Their dark sunglasses hid any expression that their eyes could have shown.

"Sit." Gregory whispered to me. I obliged and sat down in one of the chairs, Gregory stood behind me with his hands on my shoulders. He leaned down to speak into my ear. "Brian knows we have you now but he doesn't know that you have been treated well, you must try and seem a little frightened, or otherwise he may not cooperate if he suspects you aren't in any danger."

"Okay." I said nervously.

Just then, another man walked into the room. He looked to be about forty, he was tall and well built with short black hair and grey eyes, he strode in looking regal. Another body guard walked in behind him stopping at the open door, blocking it entirely.

"Gregory." He said with a nod.

"Hello dad." Gregory said, his hands gently squeezing my shoulders.

"You must be Aurelia, though I hear you prefer Aurie, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Xavier." He said, extending his hand and giving me a graceful smile.

"Very nice to meet you sir." I said taking his hand, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Are you two ready to begin?" He asked. I nodded and Xavier made a motion toward the man at the door.

Seconds later Brian, the man who I had thought I knew who had lied about everything from his name to his family walked in. Or rather, was _pushed_ in. He looked as though he hadn't slept in weeks, his usually smooth face was covered in day's worth of stubble and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy.

"Aurie." He said angrily, "Are you okay? What have they done to you?" The two square men that were there when I had come in each grabbed one of Brian's arms and forced him into the other chair.

"Now Brian, it seems we have a bit of a problem don't we?" Xavier began. "It looks like you've taken just shy of a two million dollars from our families."

"You don't understand, I needed that money, my worthless father cut me off and I had nothing! Do you know the humiliation I faced when I had to see my friends and tell them I had not a penny to my name?" He spat.

"I don't particularly care what your personal humiliations were." Xavier said curtly. "You've robbed from our families and tried to get away with it, your ancestor may have been able to prove himself to our kind but you are still considered new blood to us, you have to prove _yourself_ in order to make things easier for your descendents and gain respect for your family."

"It is not my fault that I'm not from one of the first vampire families like your perfect son or your Mother Teresa daughter." Brian countered.

"Very true." Gregory began speaking for the first time since Brian entered. "However despite what family a vampire comes from, be it a new one like yours or an older one like mine, our entire lives our dedicated to honor our family, and the more you honor it the higher your family is praised. Myself and my sister have our ancestors to thank for making it easier to honor our families, since the families on both my mother and father's side have been around for centuries. You however have not had that privilege, which makes what you did even worse."

Xavier looked to his son and then back to Brian who sat there fuming. "Fine, I disgraced my family, I could care less what the elite vamp families or the precious council thinks about it." Brian said. "My question is what the hell she has to do with it?" He said nodding in my direction.

"Why it's quite simple." Gregory said. "She is collateral. We know you have the money saved away somewhere. You give us the money and we let her go unharmed."

"You would harm her for this?" Brian asked cautiously.

"We know how you followed her, recorded her every moved, and swooped in to be her hero, and we know you were going to take her with you when you gallivanted to Europe under the name Lucas Miller, now that we have her your whole plan goes out the window now doesn't it?" Xavier chided.

Brian began to laugh maniacally. His head swung back in pure laughter. I looked at him with great confusion as he tried to regain composure.

"Here I thought you had it all figured out." Brian said.

"What do you mean?" Gregory asked.

"It's true partly. I did follow this hot little number for quite awhile." He began nodding in my direction again. "Though not for the reasons you think. I saw her and thought she could be one of my many conquests, but when I realized that she was dirt poor I devised an even better plan. I hired a private investigator and followed her myself to find out all I needed. When that was achieved I found the perfect time to lunge in, when she was all alone on her birthday, and I became her knight in shining armor. When the time was right I would ask for her hand in marriage and then put all the money into her account so if I was ever caught I could blame her and get off scot-free."

I couldn't believe this. I couldn't breath anymore, things were beginning to get dark all around me.

" I would tell everyone who asked some sad story of how I had borrowed the money in the first place to try and make it on my own, but then I fell in love with dear, sweet Aurelia Lewis, the pathetic orphan who had only ever graduated high school. I would then go on to say that I had planned to pay every penny back, once of course I doubled the sum I earned in gambling, but that my gold-digging bride stole it all from me. I would get a little slap on the hand and she would be in prison. Of course like I already said I would have found a way to double the money I stole. After paying you back I would live my life as I pleased and find some new piece of ass to chase after."

"That was your plan?" Xavier asked darkly.

"That was the plan if I got caught." Brian said. "If I got away with it I still would have tried to get double the money. I just would have been able to enjoy myself more, screwing any hot chick that wanted some well to do boyfriend, and then coming home and banging my wife Aurie who would still think I was the best thing that ever happened to her in her mundane life." He finished with a satisfied grin.

I tried to choke back tears. Gregory's hands on my shoulders tightened in anger, and Xavier gave him a strong warning glance to maintain composure.

"Did you even love me?" I asked. Xavier's eyes shot to me and then his son.

"Love is for the weak my dear, love is for people like you who don't have the riches that I have." I looked away in pain. Brian stood up gracefully and smoothed his shirt. "Look you all can keep the little bitch for all I care, she's worthless to me now; kill her, change her into a vamp, let the little tramp have a good time with all the vampire males, though I should let you know that she is a virtuous prude." He said with a sneer.

"Sit down Costello we're not through here." Xavier said.

"Oh yes we are." Brian said. He pulled out something from his jacket pocket. It was a small remote with a single button. He pressed it and suddenly smoke filled the room and a loud siren pierced through. Everything happened at once. As my hearing and vision became impaired I felt two familiar arms sweep me up bridal style, and suddenly we were moving. I could barely hear Gregory's father scream for the guards to go after Brian as Gregory led me into what I thought was the hallway. I couldn't really tell because the halls were filled with smoke too. Then suddenly my thoughts became hazy as the fumes of the smoke filled my lungs, and everything went dark.

* * *

I woke up tucked back into Gregory's bed. I felt a cool hand touch the side of my face and turned to see Gregory lying next to me.

"Hey." He whispered.

"What happened?" I asked.

"He got away." He said softly, looking at me intently.

"I'm fine." I said. He gave me a look.

"I really am; it was hard and confusing to digest. I mean, I knew he lied before and I shouldn't have thought that there was any truth in anything he told me, but it was still hard to believe that he tricked me so terribly."

"None of this has anything to do with you, I'm not justifying what he did but I don't think it was really personal, Aurie." He assured.

"That's what hurts; I thought that he cared at least a little, that it was more than just convenience and lust."

"Did you love him?"

"No, not really. I mean at the time I cared for him so much because he wined and dined me making me feel special. I thought that this he was as so incredible, but I never loved him. I hoped I could make myself love him because I thought that I could never get anyone who made me feel any better. I realize now that I should not have sold myself short, that I deserved to really fall in love with someone and not think that with time things could just change between me and Brian." I said with a slight frown.

"What's wrong?" he asked me concerned.

"It's not that I deny what you told me, but I'm so afraid, I can feel something so real with you, it's like something inside me had decided to wake up and is taking over my entire mind, body and spirit and it's just happening so fast, I'm afraid."

"Don't be afraid." He said.

"How can you say that?" I asked.

He leaned in to kiss me rolling gently on top of me while we wrapped our arms around each other.

"Because, when I kiss you I feel heat rise in my heart, when I look at you, I can't look away, talking to you allows me to feel so free, as though I can tell you everything and you will know how to make it right, and because when I am away from you, even for a moment, all I think about is finding how to be near you again. What we have is real Aurie. What we have is pure love and I know that deep in your heart you realize that. We didn't have to love each other. I had no reason to love the woman I only needed to help get back money, and you had no reason to love the man who destroyed your world with the truth. Yet love happened anyway, it took over the both of us and showed no mercy and that's what real love is, it is the strongest yet weakest passion in the world."

With that I knew. I kissed him deeply and we sank into each other letting everything consume us.

* * *

**Thanks for all of you who have reviewed and for all my loyal readers!! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will update this story soon, I promise!**


	10. Brian

*****BRIAN'S POINT OF VIEW*****

After I had escaped I had hid somewhere nearby hoping to try and get a good swing at that goody two shoes Gregory Renard and of course hoping to escape for good. _He thinks he's so special, and his nauseatingly sweet sister acts like she's the damn queen of the world just because she was given a special title. Stupid Renard and his stupid elite family. _I wanted so badly to hit that smug face of his when he went to his car but I couldn't, I couldn't because she was with him. I saw him carrying Aurelia and carefully putting her into his car and drive off with her. I decided to follow to see just where he was taking her.

I hadn't anticipated them going after me through her. I should have, leave it to the higher than mighty council to come up with some over calculating plan of attack. Perhaps if I was able to keep a few acquaintances on the inside to inform me of their plans I would be in Europe by now with Aurie, and maybe even another lovely girl with an exotic accent who wouldn't care if I was with someone else too.

I saw Gregory pull into his ritzy apartment complex and watched as he parked his car and carried her. _Why would they be keeping her here? _I wondered.

I knew which apartment was his so I parked my car and stealthily followed him inside. I waited in the lobby, watching him step her into the elevator, occasionally having to tell people that the reason he had an unconscious girl in his arms was because she fell asleep in the car and he didn't want to wake her. _Little Mr. Perfect, _I thought.

When I was sure that he was up in his apartment I strode in the elevator and pressed the button for floor twenty, just below the Penthouse apartment. When the elevator doors opened, I went straight for the apartment I had intended for, the one just under Gregory's. I knocked gently and a woman in her twenties answered. Her blonde hair was swept in a ponytail and she looked as though she was in the middle of working out.

"Hi." She said, glancing at me up and down.

"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me." I asked sweetly.

"Sure, what do you need?"

"I would like to use your phone if that's alright, my cell died and I need to call my sister to let her know I'm running late to her birthday party. She's sixteen and I am bringing her a new car as a surprise." I lied.

"Oh that's so sweet." She said. "Please, come in and I can get you something to drink to take with you on the road, if you like." She said tossing her ponytail.

"That would be lovely if you don't mind too much." I said.

"I wouldn't mind at all." She said stepping away from the door. _Score._

She handed me the phone as I stepped in. Locking the door behind me.

"What can I get you?" She asked. I grabbed her quickly and latched my fangs into her neck drinking deeply. She tried to scream but I put a hand over her mouth to silence her. When she lost consciousness I left her body on the floor and headed to her balcony.

I leaped high, grabbing the railing of Gregory's balcony above me, and slowly pulled myself up. The curtains of the balcony were drawn almost completely closed, only a dim light on in the bedroom. I slowly approached and peaked inside.

Gregory was lying next to Aurie on his bed, stroking her face. Her eyes opened slightly and she looked at him. They began whispering to one another. Being a vampire, I could hear every word they said, and Gregory being too distracted by Aurie didn't even pay the slightest attention to the slight noises I had been making to get up here. They spoke to each other softly, first about me and then about them.

_Well, well, well, it looks like the two have fallen madly in love with each other. I sure could use this to my advantage now couldn't I?_

Though this would explain everything. It was all a trick. They had no intentions of hurting her; they were just going to use her to spoil my plans.

_They didn't even know the real plan though, and I went and told them everything. I should have begged for her life and tried to pretend I would follow their terms, and then maybe things would have worked out after all. Damn it!_

I saw him reach over and kiss her, he pulled himself on top of her and then turned the light out, but I could still see them. I turned away in utter disgust and leapt from the balcony back onto blondie's patio. I stepped over her body and let myself out heading back to my car.

_The little slut. _I thought thinking about what I had begun to witness through the window. That little brat had been my charity case for the last year and the she never once put out, always saying how _that_ was the one thing she had control over in her life and she wanted it to be right. She was lucky I never slipped anything in her food or in her drink to make her do it anyway; it wasn't like I hadn't before with other women. Though those were just flings, she was the key to making all my plans work and I needed her to think I was Mr. Wonderful. Yet after all the courting and the compliments I never got anything, and then that damn Gregory Renard swoops in and feeds her some lines about love and what they have being special and she just lets him have her. _The slut._

_The game isn't over yet Gregory._

_The game has barely begun._

I will find a way to settle the score. I will find a way for everyone to leave me be and to let Gregory know that he can't always get his way, at least not easily yet._ I bet she was in on the whole thing too._ She will find out just how badly things turn out when she turns on me.

I had to think quickly, everyone would be looking for me.

* * *

**_A/N_**

**A bit of a filler chapter but it will be important later.**

**Also for anyone curious about Aurie's name it is supposed to be pronounce Aw-reel-ia but I pronounce it Aw-rel-ia instead. And her preferred name is Are-E. Aurelia means golden. I will try and update soon. Hope everyone is enjoying it so far. Thanks again for the reviews!**


	11. Staying In

I woke up to the sun streaming in a small crack in the sliding glass door where the curtain hadn't been drawn completely.

I looked next to me to see Gregory sleeping soundly on his stomach, his arm slung over my body. I gently reached over to rub his bare back, which was only bare because _I _was wearing his shirt. It went down about mid thigh on me, which was good since I wasn't wearing anything else under it. _Though I guess at this point Gregory seeing me without any clothes doesn't really matter after the way things went last night. _I thought grinning to myself. I hadn't expected things to go the way they did when Gregory brought me back from seeing Brian, _the jerk._ But Gregory had been so sweet.

* * *

"_**Are you sure you want to do this Aurie?" **_He had asked. _**"I don't want you to do this just off of adrenaline and mixed up emotions, I don't want you to regret being with me."**_

"_**I could never regret anything that involves us doing something we both want" **_I had assured him.

* * *

With that we broke all physical barriers, _more than once I might add_.

Gregory stirred next to me opening his eyes slowly. He focused on me and grinned, taking the arm over my body and he drug me close to him. Every line of my body was pressed to every line of his as he gently kissed my forehead.

"Good morning." He said lazily.

"Good morning." I responded.

He looked at me brows furrowed. "You put on clothing." He said, touching the seam of the sleeve of his shirt that was on my body.

"I was cold." I said, nuzzling into his neck.

"That's what I'm for." He said wrapping his arm around me even tighter and stroking my shoulder with his thumb. For a moment we just lie there, listening to each other breath and to the sounds of the nearby ocean lapping against the shore.

"So." I began, sitting up on Gregory's firm stomach, legs on either side of him. "What is the plan for today?"

"We can do whatever you like." He said, stroking my thighs.

"I'm tired of being cooped up inside all day." I said. "Let's go out and do something unproductive."

"Alright," he said. "But no vampire movies, be they horror or romance, they always get it wrong."

I laughed and pulled his arm to get him out of bed. "Come on we have to get dressed."

"No." He said, scooping me up in his arms. "We have to shower first, and this time I think you should just take one with me to avoid purposely walking in on me again."

"Those were accidents!" I defended.

"Of course they were baby." He said in false assurance, as he carried me into the bathroom.

* * *

A while later I went into the huge closet and picked through the many items he had for me to choose from, my hair dripping wet and a towel tied tightly at my breasts. Gregory came in wearing his towel around his waist and hugged me from behind, kissing the side of my neck.

"Are you sure we can't have one more day where we stay in?" He pleaded.

"I need to get outside and get some fresh air." I said trying to decide between two blouses. One was a red, silk button down shirt and the other was a black tunic with long sleeves and a deep neckline.

"I like the black." He whispered in my ear, kissing it gently before nibbling my earlobe. I spun around slowly and looped my arms around his neck standing on my tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. I started to pull away but he took his hand and cupped the back of my neck to bring me back to him. His mouth opened slightly, tongue tracing my lips asking for entrance. I allowed him to do so. My towel slipped onto the floor and his hands went to my hips pressing them close to his body. I broke away for just a moment to speak.

"You're a bad influence on me." I teased.

"That's the idea." He said with a grin, continuing where we left off. I brought my hands to his shoulders and gently pushed him back, he groaned in protest.

I picked up my towel and brought it back around me. "Get dressed Gregory." I ordered, pointing to his side of the closet.

"You'll pay for that Aurelia." He said, giving me one last kiss and going over to choose something to wear.

I dressed quickly and turned around to see that he was gone.

"Gregory?" I called.

Nothing.

I peeked out into his room and then the balcony. Not a trace. Leaving the room I went down the hall and felt fingers tickle the back of my neck. I whipped around only to see nothing behind me. I felt a light peck on my cheek and turned again. Nothing.

"Gregory this isn't funny." I called out.

"Yes it is." He chanted, chuckling from what sounded like every direction.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Over here." He called. The sound came from the bedroom, I walked back inside it but there was nothing there. "No, maybe I'm over here." His voice echoed from the hallway.

"I'm not playing." I said, pretending to pout and sitting cross legged on the bed.

"Oh what a shame." He said. This time it sounded like he was coming from the closet. I slowly crept toward it trying to catch him. My fingers curled around the closet door and I swung it open. The only thing I saw was clothes hanging in their spots. _How is he doing this?_ I felt a hand run down my side. I tried to grab it but got nothing but air. _Two can play at this game._ I looked around me to make sure he wasn't lurking anywhere, watching me. When I was positive that I was safe I hid in a large, empty cupboard that was in the closet.

"Aurie? " He called. "Aurelia where are you?" I sit quietly in my spot realizing something. _This is how he and I first met. _I remember it was just days ago when I was hiding in my closet of my rank apartment trying to keep away from him. _But this is different. I want him to find me. _The door of the cabinet swung open and he kneeled down to look at me.

"Found you." He said. I stepped out and backed away from him slowly.

"Yes you did." I said. "But you still have to catch me." I broke out into a run with him chasing close behind. I knew he could have caught me if he wanted to.

I ended up in the living room with, using the couch as a shield; dodging each time he tried to get to me.

"Stay put." He ordered with a smirk.

"Make me." I challenged. He raised his eyebrows and suddenly was gone. "Gregory." I warned cautiously.

Suddenly I found myself with my back flat on the floor and arms pinned above my head with Gregory on top of me. I struggled to get free but I couldn't.

He kissed my neck as he lay down flat on top of me. _So much for going out today. _I thought turning my head to kiss him on his mouth.

* * *

Much later we decided that staying in one more day wouldn't hurt anything. Gregory insisted that we had a lot of getting to know each other to do anyway and that he would cook me his famous chicken and potato stuffed crepes, to which I couldn't decline.

"I promise to take you out somewhere tomorrow, all day if it will make you happy." Gregory said stirring the crepe mix.

"I'm going to hold you to that." I said. "So tell me, any other siblings?"

"No, just my sister, she's a couple years older and when she is not maintaining the peace she works as a councilor for children who have various personal issues. I guess problem solving is just in her nature. She is married to George, her high school sweetheart and they are trying for another child"

"What about your parents?"

"My father has his own law firm, which was actually created shortly after Brian's great grandfather died in an accident." Gregory said, watching me carefully as he said Brian's name. I pretended not to notice. "My mother spent part of her time as a homemaker when she first married my father, and then she raised me and my sister until we started school. Afterward she became an interior designer; she is in high demand all along the east coast."

"What do you do?" I asked.

"Well, after I graduated from college I traveled for a year or so, I didn't have a single clue what I wanted to do with my life so I thought I would see what was out there. I bartended for a while in a restaurant in Italy, I fell in love with the atmosphere of the place where I worked. I came back here and asked my parents for help in setting up my own place where people can come, eat, drink, and just relax for a while. I was fortunate enough that my place was a big hit and before I knew it I owned seventeen establishments all across the country."

"Really what's it called?"

"Pescara, after the city that I worked in."

"If there's one nearby maybe you could take me there tomorrow." I said. _Wow, his own restaurant that must be so amazing and fun._

"If you insist."

We discussed everything, from our favorite colors, to books and movies, music and even our deepest hopes for our lives. He spoke about wanting a large family and I agreed I had always hoped to have a large one myself. He told me about every place he had traveled to and all the exotic people he met. I blushed when he spoke about the fortune teller he encountered; he said she told him that his true love would be a woman he would have to steal.

We continued talking like that for hours, not even realizing the day as it flashed by us. I had fought to keep my eyes open when midnight rolled around; I still had so much I wanted to know and to say. But soon the last thing I remembered was being kissed on the lips by Gregory as I fell into dreamland.


	12. Going Out

Gregory hadn't told me until we were already in the car that his restaurants were popular with the vampire crowd. I sat in the passenger seat nervously playing with my hands remembering my encounter with Carson. The last thing I wanted was a repeat of that. Gregory had gotten so angry and even a little possessive.

"You're worrying over nothing." He said, casting me a side glance. "It's not like it only vampires there, plenty of humans will be around too. What else are we going to eat?" I looked at him in horror.

"It was a joke." He said trying not to laugh.

_Easy for you to say._ I thought. Maybe staying in wasn't so bad after all. _Too late now. _

When we pulled up I noticed it was a two story building covered in ivy that was painted to look like a Tuscan resort. There were people all around waiting for a table and I could hear music streaming out into the parking lot. The window on the first floor was illuminating soft lights hung above ivory cloth covered tables where couples spoke tenderly to each other, some looked like people on their first dates awkwardly trying to figure out how to touch hand across the table, while others looked like couples who probably had a few children and were trying to enjoy a night out. The restaurant had tables that overlooked the beach on a huge patio and a few people were even being served their meals on beach blankets that were stretched out onto the sand.

The top floor is what held my attention though. It was sinister looking. I couldn't even tell if there were any people up there, but I had a feeling that there were a special kind of people occupied there, the kind that wanted more privacy and to be less obvious about their dining habits.

I hadn't heard Gregory get out of the car.

"Mademoiselle." Gregory said, opening my door and extending his hand. I took it and let myself out of the car as he shut it behind me. He grinned, still holding my hand he guided me through the front doors.

"Are you sure I'm dressed right?" I asked looking down at my simple garnet colored dress that hugged me perfectly and was cut to mid thigh. Gregory's choice, he said he preferred it to the knee length emerald dress that had a high neckline. _He sure liked more revealing clothes, ones that don't take into account the usual east coast winter weather. At least it was really warm tonight._

He stepped back dropping my hand and looked at me up and down slowly, _a little too slowly. _He circled me taking in every angle, before pausing to put his lips to my ear.

"You look perfect." He said. Taking my hand again and led me back to the doors. A thin man in a dark suit with his yellow hair slicked down came up to us out of breath.

"Ah, Mr. Renard, I apologize I don't believe we were expecting you. Hello Miss." He said quickly giving me his hand to shake.

"I had wanted to just drop in and check on things, I also wanted to show her around." He said, putting his hand on the small of my back. "This is Aurelia Lewis."

"Pleasure to meet you." He said. "So we can get you a table in no time sir if—"

"No that's all right; we will be enjoying our time upstairs." Gregory said. _Oh great. _I thought.

With that he and I began walking to a small staircase toward the back of the room. The door at the top was marked; **PRIVATE: V.I.P. ONLY.**

I hesitated briefly looking at the door.

"Relax Aurie." He said kissing me deeply.

He opened the door and I stepped in. It was a shadowy lounge with black walls, dark crimson couches and black coffee tables. The dim lights were covered with grey shades which gave the room a smoky look. In the middle of the room was a dance floor where people moved precariously close to each other to eerie sounding music.

Gregory sat down on a nearby couch and pulled me next to him, waving his hand in the air. Another man in all black came with a tray of appetizers and placed them on the table in front of us.

"Try something" He said rubbing my back. "I'm thinking of changing a few things on my menu but I don't know which of these I like best." I grabbed some kind of lettuce wrap and bit into it. Gregory watched me fixedly; I nodded in approval of the food. When I reached to grab what looked like a mini crab cake two girls came up and sat on either side of us.

"Gregory." The one next to Gregory screeched. Her blood red hair was cropped short just above her chin and she was in a black leather mini dress. "It has been so long since we've seen you." She laced her fingers together on his shoulder and rested her chin on them.

"Yes, it has been like forever." The other said reaching across me to put her hand in his lap. Her brown hair was streaked with blue and in wild curls; her silver colored satin dress went to the floor but was cut to her navel. "Do tell us Gregory, which one of us are you going to ask to be your mate? Both Dina and I are so tired of waiting for you to stop being so reclusive. " She said candidly. I looked away a little hurt.

Without a second's hesitation he placed me up onto his lap and wrapped his arms firmly around me resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Hmmm." He said looking right into my eyes. "Baby what do you think?"

"I don't know; it looks to be like quite the tough decision." I said

"Not the way I see it." He said kissing my cheek his lips lingering a while.

The two girls exchanged unnerved glances and left in a huff stomping away on their stripper heels. Both casting me jealous glares.

"Thank you." I said smiling softly.

"For what?" He asked innocently. I shook my head and continued sampling things on the tray, telling him which ones I preferred and which ones I didn't. When I was finished he took a napkin and gently dabbed my lips.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked, me still in his lap, his hands tracing unidentifiable patterns all along my body.

"Sure, but I warn you, I'm a terrible dancer." I said.

"Then I'll just have to teach you won't I?" He said sitting the both of us up.

As he brought me to the dance floor he put a hand on my waist and with the other he held my hand while I rested my free arm on his shoulders.

We moved slowly at first, my eyes glued to our feet. His hand left my waist to tuck under my chin.

"Look at me." He said. "It will be easier." He put his hand back on my waist and I held my breath trying to concentrate carefully. He rested his forehead onto mine.

"Relax." He said bringing me closer. "Listen to the music and just move with me." As I started to get the hang of it I could feel him press me closer. It felt like one of those movies, everything around us disappeared and it was just the two of us holding each other close. I felt his forehead move from mine.

I focused back on Gregory who was looking at me with an amused look on his face.

"May I cut in?" I heard a deep voice ask. We both turned toward the sound. A tall man with chestnut hair and blazing blue eyes stood there.

"No." Gregory said brusquely.

"I don't believe I was asking you Gregory." The man said trying to maintain patience and smiling at me, his white teeth shining bright.

"I don't believe I care Paul." Gregory countered.

"Come on Gregory, are you that threatened by me?" He said. "Let the lady decide, since she is the one I was asking." I looked at Gregory who had lost all of his usual humor and sarcasm in his face. His eyes were dark and emotionless, his mouth in a line.

"You know," I said, both men snapped their heads toward me obviously forgetting I was there in the first place. I looked at the man Gregory referred to as Paul. "This is Gregory's and mine's first official night out, I don't think it is appropriate for me to spend any time with anyone else, don't you agree?"

"You have a valid point." Paul said. "However I think you should allow yourself to explore your options."

"If you are an option I wish to explore I will give you a call." I said sternly. Or at least trying to sound stern. "As of right now the only choice I want is Gregory. I don't want to be rude but I think you should leave us to enjoy our night, please."

"Brian was right, you are a _prude._" He said turning to leave.

Gregory grabbed the man by the arm and punched him square in the jaw. Paul began to charge Gregory but security came and intervened grabbing each of his arms.

"I want him out." Gregory said territorially wrapping an arm around me. They drug him out and I broke away, escaping to a nearby balcony to get away from everything.

Hot tears filled my eyes and I fought hard to put them back. I crossed my arms and looked out onto the ocean, focusing on a small island with a little shack that was far out. I felt hands come up from behind and set on my waist.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"What's wrong?" I repeated. "I'll tell you what's wrong. What's wrong is that every time you take me out somewhere either a woman is trying to crawl in your lap or you get into a fight with some guy or I have to hear about that stupid jerk."

"Look, I realize you don't appreciate the women coming up to me, but don't you see that the men come up to you for the same reasons?" He said. "They find you attractive and think that they can be better suited for you than I am. Sure, maybe my jealousy gets the better of me, but that's the way I show my insecurities of losing you to someone else."

I looked turned and looked up at him confused. _He was insecure of losing me._

"And when other women approach me, you choose to sink into yourself and act like you are not on their level." He continued.

"You notice that?" I said.

"Of course I notice that." He said. "But it doesn't matter who they are because none of them can compare to you."

"Well I feel the same way, none of those other men even caught my interest. Not Carson. Not Paul. And no one else in the future for that matter." I said.

He leaned in and touched his lips to mine speaking gently. "Well then I guess both of us will have to work on our jealousy won't we?"

"Mmhmm." I said kissing him. I pulled away and looked at him. "What about that last part? The part about Brian."

He sighed. "They have special trackers looking for Brian." He said.

"And?"

"And nothing." He said. "They have no idea where he went. As far as we know he can be in Seoul or Israel right now." I looked away in exasperation.

"Wait." I said remembering something that I had thought was odd. "How does Paul know that Brian called me a prude?"

Gregory's eyes went black and then flashed with anger, leaving me behind he raced to one of the security guards that had kicked Paul out. I followed as close as I could and saw Gregory run his hands through his hair muttering to himself.

"We have to get back home now." He said dragging me back to the car.

* * *

Gregory spent half the night on the phone with his father. Ever since Paul had been thrown out there was no sign of him.

"I don't understand." I said sitting up in bed my legs under the covers. "Is Paul helping Brian?"

"I don't know." Gregory said. "Brian stole money from Paul's family too, so we figured that he was on our side, but there was no way he could have known what happened back at that warehouse. He wasn't there and no one who was there was allowed to divulge any information."

"So are you saying that everyone else is unaware of him even being on the run?" I asked.

"The council doesn't like for anyone to know anything that isn't a perfectly handled situation, it causes people to lose faith in us if they find out that we can't keep control." He said pacing around the room. "As far as Paul is concerned there may have been a way where Brian contacted him after he escaped and bribed him for help, but we don't know anything yet."

"What do we do now?" I asked playing with my hair.

"Nothing." He said angrily. "Nothing but wait until we know more."

"I want this to be over." I said letting the tears escape this time. I just couldn't hold them anymore. Gregory got onto the bed and cradled me until I had fallen asleep.


	13. Ultimatums

I woke up to an empty bed. Getting up I walked over to the living room where Gregory was sitting watching TV, but I could tell he wasn't even focusing on whatever he had on.

"Hey." I said softly.

"Hey." He said back. His phone rang then and he reached immediately to pick it up.

"Hello?" He said to the person on the other line. He nodded once and hung up the phone getting up from the couch. "I'll be right back." He said pecking me on the cheek and racing out the door.

I sat down and sighed heavily, legs curled under me. He seemed so shaken by everything; I just wanted my Gregory back. _My Gregory. _I thought smiling to myself. I heard a knock at the door and raced to go get it. _He probably forgot his key._ I thought. When I answered the door however the only thing I saw was a silver rod hit me across the head.

* * *

I felt a familiar pain. My hands and neck ached and I realized that once again I had been tied to a chair. But this time I had tape across my mouth and my cheek stung. I was in some dreary room, the only thing in it was me and a door that was shut.

Someone came around from behind and grabbed my chin roughly. "Wake up." I turned to see Brian there looking at me coldly. "I need you conscious." He ripped the tape off and I flinched. Brian pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.

"Ah Gregory." He said looking at me. "I have something for you." Brian grabbed the back of my hair and I screamed. "Talk to him."

"Gregory I—" I began. Brian pulled the phone away.

"Now if you want your little girlfriend to live, you'll listen to me." Brian said. "Quite ironic isn't it Greg? You try and kidnap her to get to me, and now I kidnap her to get to you. Listen up, I want to keep all my money plus another hundred thousand more and a plane to take me to the United Kingdom. I also want your little council to get off my trail. I'm warning you Renard, if you don't come through the next time you see your little angel she'll be in a body bag. You have one hour." He hung up the phone and looked at me, head cocked to the side. He slapped me hard against the face. "Whore."

"Go to Hell!" I shouted. "When Gregory finds us he'll kill you!"

"When Gregory finds us he'll kill you." Brian mimicked. "Trust me sweetie, Gregory is practically going to act like my lap dog to get you back."

"You coward." I said.

"I may be a coward, but at least I'm not some slut." He said.

"I'm not a slut." I defended.

"Oh really?" He countered. "Well when I swung by his place the other night you looked mighty cozy with him."

"You saw all of that?" I asked disgusted.

"I left before anything got to steamy, but I saw enough. I saw you were about to do something you never even showed interest in wanting to do with me." He said.

"Thank God for that." I said under my breath.

"What was that?" He said inches from my face.

"Nothing." I said. He slapped me again.

"You know I would just screw you, but you've been touched by _him." _He said in disgust.

"What about me?" Another voice said. It was Paul.

"What about you?" Brian said reaching inside his coat pocket.

"Look Brian, you called me last night and asked for my help. I could have just as easily turned you in after finding out that you escaped Gregory and his father but I took pity on you because you promised to pay me back what you stole and then some. You also said I could have her once you killed Gregory." Paul said.

I gasped in horror. _No._ _Not Gregory._

"Well things change." Brian said pulling out a gun. He shot Paul square in the chest and Paul flew back. He tried to get up and attack Brian. _He can still move? I guess their super strength is more powerful than I had anticipated._ Brian had already pulled out something else. _It was a silver stake. _Brian lunged it into Paul's heart.

Paul lay there dead. _A stake through the heart can kill anyone. _I remembered Gregory telling me.

"You killed him." I stated.

"Please, like I'd really share a penny with that oaf. Now where were we?"

"You're going to kill Gregory." I repeated.

"Maybe, maybe not." He said. "It depends on how much the_ both_ of you follow my terms. Otherwise I will kill the both of you, though I am not sure as to whom first. It would depend on whether I would want him to watch you die or you to watch him die. "

"The _both_ of us?" I asked. "What terms do I need to follow?"

"You have a choice. Agree to marry me and Gregory lives or you can decline and watch him die."

"You don't even love me!" I shouted.

"So what?" He said. "I am sick and tired of perfect Gregory Renard getting everything he wants, so I am stealing his most prized possession; you."

"Gregory doesn't view me as his possession." I said defending him.

"Darling, in our world everything, including our women are our possessions."

"You're sick." I said.

"And you're pushing it my dear." He said. "I think I am being perfectly reasonable here, after seeing you two together and being humiliated, I had every impulse telling me to show you how incredibly miserable I could make life for the both of you. However I'm not one to like to get my hands too dirty if I don't have to, so I thought I will just get what I want out of the deal and not give a damn about the two of you."

He stood up to leave the room. He glanced at his watch. "He only has fifty minutes left. Bye bye, Aurie." He shut the door and I heard it lock. I began to cry.

I would have to agree to marry Brian. He would kill Gregory otherwise. _Oh Gregory, please have a plan._

* * *

*****GREGORY'S POINT OF VIEW*****

If he hurts her. If he so much as gives her a split end. _I never should have left her alone. When my father called to tell me Paul was starting to work with Brian I should have brought her with me._ I didn't have much time. I had informed the council of his threat and they agreed to let him think he was going to win. Then people would follow me when I went to go save Aurie and capture that snake. I could get her out of there and never leave her alone again, I would protect her forever.

I called Brian.

"Well Hello." He answered smugly.

"You have yourself a deal. The council is letting you keep your money, I've already put the extra cash in your account and everyone promises to leave you alone." I said trying to remain cool.

"Oh really?" He said in slight disbelief.

"Yes. Check your account and call your father to confirm if you like." I said.

"Good boy." He said, I could tell he was grinning. "Now your little princess and I are not far. You know that little shack that can be seen from your restaurant?"

"Yes."

"She and I are waiting there. Come alone, I will be watching and it would be a shame to get this far and screw it all up."

"I want to speak to her." I said. _Please be okay._

"No." He said. "No, take my word for it, she's alive and crying for her prince to come and save her. It is rather pathetic, at least when I was dating her she wasn't so pathetic."

_You're pathetic, you jealous lush. _I thought.

"I swear Costello if she isn't in perfect condition when I get there I'll—"

"You'll what? Watch me kill her in front of your eyes? Because if you even try to attack me she's dead, I've already warned her and she promises to behave. Are you willing to do the same?"

"Yes." I said exasperated.

"Face it Gregie, I have the power, so you better start to show some respect."

"I'm sorry." I said through gritted teeth.

"Good." He said. "See you soon."

_You sure will. _I thought as I hung up the phone. I will kill you for this Brian. The second she is safe and far away from you, I will kill you. Mark my words.


	14. A Woman Scorned

I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't let him do it.

_I haven't done anything to deserve this. I haven't done anything to deserve this. _I chanted to myself, remembering how Gregory was the first person who ever made me feel like the horrible things that had happened to me were not my fault.

I had to fight. He had fought so hard for me to protect me and to make me feel safe and worthy. The least I could do was try and repay the debt, even if I died doing it, as long as he was alive I knew it would be okay.

_Brian may keep me alive for his own sick purposes, but I know he is going to kill Gregory despite what he told me. _I thought. He said that he would keep Gregory alive if I married him, he didn't even want me but he didn't want Gregory to have me. _He is probably blackmailing Gregory too. _I thought.

I knew Gregory could live without me, he had a great family and a full life, he would most certainly find love again, but I couldn't live without him.

I needed to fight for his life.

I tried to wriggle my hands free from the ropes. I tugged and pulled until my hands turned raw. Failing dismally I looked around the room for anything that could help me. A thick rusty, nail was sticking out of the rotted wood wall nearby. I scooted my chair over to it and tried to wrap one of the knots around the nail. I pulled myself in the opposite direction, feeling the binding around my wrists loosen.

_Score. _I thought shrugging off the ropes.

I ran over to Paul's body that still lay lifeless on the floor and tried to find anything I could. A cell phone in his jacket pocket gave me a sense of hope. _Now all I have to do is call Gregory. _

_Shit I don't even know his cell number, I've never needed it_. The floor on the other side of the door began to creek. _He is coming back. _I panicked trying to come up with a plan. I heard the door unlock and I tried to hide behind it as it opened.

"What the Hell." I heard Brian mutter as he walked over to the now empty chair.

I charged him and hit the back of his head hard with the cell phone. That just seemed to piss him off.

"You bitch!" He screamed. He grabbed me and threw me against the wall. My back hit it hard and I found I couldn't breathe.

He stalked toward me, his eyes filled with anger and fire. He lifted his foot to kick my ribs and I saw a chance. I lifted my own foot and kicked him hard, aiming for his groin and getting the side of his thigh instead. The blow set him off balance for a second and I tried to crawl away from the wall and toward the door.

He grabbed my ankle and tugged me toward him and I kicked again, this time I was successful. He reached toward his groin in agony and I raced out of the room closing the door behind me. I knew he had the key but it would be enough to get a head start. Racing through the small shack I searched for anything. _He probably still has the gun and stake with him. _

I heard the door slam open. "Aurelia!" Brian shouted.

"Screw you, you son of a bitch!" I shouted back. Hearing him come closer to me I tried to hide. I found a small closet that wouldn't shut completely, but again it was enough. _If I can just get one of those weapons he's carrying then I can try and attack him. I can try and kill him. _It was my only option. He was going to try and kill Gregory.

I could see Brian; he was heading straight toward me stopping just a foot in front of the door.

"I know you're in there Aurie. I tried to give you and your little lover a chance, I tried to let the two of you live. All I asked is that I get everything I wanted in return. He lets me keep my money and gets the council off my back, and in return he loses you to me, knowing that he can't always get what he wants when he tries to screw me over, but at least knowing you would be alive." He said.

I chose not to keep quiet. "Screw you over?" I said. "You're a weak and pathetic wimp. You couldn't even try and find a way and take care of yourself so you stole from your own kind."

"Humans do that daily love, and I could care less about the stupid vampire community and their stupid hierarchy of families." He spat. "They did a favor for my great grandfather, and then treated the rest of us like lower class."

"You had a chance to prove them wrong." I said.

He laughed humorlessly. "I did, I showed them just who they were disrespecting. Like I said I could care less."

"You were planning on just using me as your whore that you could frame if you needed to." I countered.

"You were never supposed to find out." He said not sounding the least bit remorseful. "If they had just let things alone you would be none the wiser and living a lovely life."

"I would have been living a lie."

"So what? It's better than having lived as some uneducated, poor orphan hoping someone like Gregory would have given you a second glance. Speaking of which, your little boyfriend should be here any minute. So why don't I give you second chance my dear, come out and we can carry on as planned."

I sighed heavily. "No."

"What do you mean no?" He said sounding surprised.

"I mean no, you're not going to win. I won't let you."

He laughed. He laughed so hard that he turned his back toward me holding his side, trying to catch his breath. I took advantage and lunged at him.

He was caught off guard. Both of us wound up on the floor, my arms thrashing at him. He tried to grab them but I was too quick in my advance. I pulled out the gun he had and pointed it at his chest.

"That will only wound me." He said.

"True. But this will kill you." I said grabbing the stake that was tucked into his belt. I held the stake and the gun together, pointing the gun at him. "Don't move." I warned.

I got up slowly, standing over him. His face was blank. I kicked him hard in the groin.

He groaned. "That was for lying to me about who you were, you jerk." I kicked him again, this time in the ribs. "That was for stalking me for a year." I kicked his gut."That was for you wanting to frame me if you got caught." I kicked him hard in the side twice. "That was for being the world's most disgusting, womanizing pig and for watching me with Gregory."

"I told you I didn't see everything." He gasped.

I kicked his groin again. "Shut up! I talk now." I said. I kicked him hard in the collarbone.

"That was for threatening to hurt Gregory." I spat.

"And this, my dear Aurie is for trying to defeat me." He grabbed my ankle and I thudded hard to the floor, both the gun and the stake slipping from my hands. He pinned me down then slapped me hard. I saw him reach for the weapons but tried to stop him by grabbing his shirt and yanking it back.

He yelled and tried to hit me again, I dodged as his hand made a whole in the floor. The palm of my hand thrust upward into his nose and he grabbed it, yelling louder than before. I wriggled out from under him and reached for the stake.

He grabbed my ankle again and drug me away. I kicked as hard as I could at his arm, but he just grabbed the other ankle and pulled me harder.

"Now, both you and Gregory will die, and just for trying to kill me, I will make you watch as I kill your filthy boy toy." He said.

"The hell you will." I said. I yanked my legs from him and ran back to the other side of the room; just as I reached for the stake he grabbed the back of my hair, and grabbed the gun, putting it to my temple.

I could feel his rank hot breath against the side of my face.

"Forget it. Now I just want to watch you die myself. I want to watch Gregory come in and fall at your corpse, knowing he was just moments too late, knowing that if sweet, little Aurie had just cooperated, she would still be alive. That you being alive and with me would better than dead. Say goodnight Aurie.

"Good night Brian." I said. I took the stake, which I had taken and concealed under my sleeve, and I thrust it into his arm which held the gun. I ducked my head as the gun fired, feeling something quick and hot graze my shoulder. _I've been shot_.

However, that was not what I was focusing on. Brian screamed the most horrifying scream that I have ever heard, one that I would never forget. I knocked the gun out of his hand and plunged the stake into his heart, watching his pupils expand across his irises, his face became pale.

"Aurie." He gasped. His hand went to his punctured heart and he collapsed dead on the floor.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." I said, falling to the ground myself, touching my own wound. The bullet had just grazed me, but I could feel my body grow dull and heavy.

_Gregory._

I reached into Brian's pockets and found his cell phone, which was starting to become coated with his blood. I went to his recent calls finding the name I wanted to see. I hit send and waited patiently as the phone rang.

"I'm almost there, Brian. In a matter of moments you'll have everything you want, just don't hurt her." Gregory said. The sound of his voice was enough to give me a bit of strength.

"Gregory." I said.

"Aurelia? Aurie are you okay? Please tell me you're okay, please." He said, sounding tense.

"I love you Gregory. It's going to be okay." I sighed. Then my eyes went heavy, and I felt like I was floating in cool pool of water, I drifted off into a heavy slumber.


	15. Just Go Away

I didn't know places like this existed.

It was the most beautiful oasis I had ever seen. The soft grass was so green and lush looking, blanketing miles and miles of hills. Trees stood tall touching the clear blue sky, their leaves swaying in the gentle breeze. I could hear a waterfall lightly trickle into a pond, where I found myself wading in the cool water. The water rose up to my waist, allowing the long, lace dress I was wearing to sway fluidly, my hair was free and loose, the tips just barely being touched by the water.

_**Beep…beepbeepbeep…Beep…beepbeepbeep.**_

A harsh sound disturbed my sanctuary.

_My God that sound is annoying. _I thought solemnly to myself.

Suddenly my world changed. I was floating. I wasn't anywhere in particular. Actually the only thing that surrounded me was a pure black abyss that was neither frightening nor comforting. _How did I end up here?_

I felt numb. I so desperately wanted to go back to the oasis, but I couldn't conjure up anything from it.

_**Beep…beepbeepbeep…Beep…beepbeepbeep**_

That sound again. I wanted to fall into myself, to run from the sound that was so disturbing, so mechanical and cold.

"_Aurie." _I heard a harmonious voice call. "_Aurie." _

The voice drowned out the sound of the beeping, I now found myself wanting to follow that voice. My body felt weak as I reached a hand out, grabbing at black air. I felt something soft and warm beneath my finger tips. _A hand. _I thought, I had taken a hold of someone's hand.

My eyes felt like led as I tried to open them. I felt a cool hand touch my face as I groaned in agony, my body felt so sore.

"Aurie? Aurie you're okay!" I turned to the voice, I met familiar dark eyes filled with relief and worry. I tried to speak but my throat felt hoarse. "Please allow me." He said reaching to give me a small cup of water. I gulped it greedily. His hand touched my face softly again, then kissed my forehead.

I looked around. An ivy was in my arm and the room was cold with a smell that made my stomach twist, the smell of a hospital. The thin sheets of the hospital bed were over me and someone had put me in a stiff gown. Thick bandages covered my shoulder. I felt a sense of panic, I needed to know something.

"It's okay now." He continued. "Everything is going to be okay. Both Brian and Paul are dead, Aurie, it's all over. I was so worried, after you called I was there with you only a few moments later and at first I thought that you were dead too. You were so still and I couldn't tell until I got close if you were even breathing."

I blinked at him curiously. I didn't remember going unconscious, as a matter of fact I didn't remember…

"We've taken care of everything." He continued disrupting my thoughts. "Their bodies were taken care of, and the shack was searched for anything important and then burned, made to look like an accident of course." He added with a grin.

I tried to speak again, but my throat still felt dry.

"Please, rest." He insisted. "You've been through so much already. I can't believe you were able to fend them off—" He continued in a rush.

"I need to ask you something." I said. I wanted to know, I had to know.

"What is it Aurie?" He asked, a small smile playing on his full lips.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"What do you mean who am I?" He asked bewildered. Then realizing something "Aurie, what is your full name?"

_I know my full name, its…its…Why couldn't I remember? Who doesn't know their own name?_

"I'm…"

"Oh no." He said, his eyes going blank.

We were interrupted by a young female doctor who walked into the room and looked at the chart at the end of my bed.

"Ms. Lewis, I see that you're awake." She brought a flashlight to my face and shined it in my eyes. "Your vitals are good, and nothing seems to be broken, you just have to wear bandages around your shoulder until the wound heals."

"She doesn't remember who she is!" The man next to me said.

"Yes we feared something like this would happen. The trauma of whatever happened to her seems to have had a negative effect. She is suffering from amnesia."

"Well what do we do then?" He asked.

"Her memory should come back soon." She said her eyes filled with doubt.

"_Should_ come back? What if it doesn't?"

"It's too soon to tell, for now she needs to rest. She'll stay here to get the care she needs." The doctor insisted.

"She'll stay with me." He said briskly. "She should be somewhere familiar. She should be at home."

"Now who says her true home is with you?" Another voice said. All of us turned to see a middle aged man in a tweed coat approach; his face was rough and stern looking. "Would you please excuse us?" He asked the doctor flashing a police badge. She nodded and swept out of the room.

"What's going on?" The man next to me asked.

"Are you Gregory Renard?" He nodded. "Mr. Renard my name is Detective David Owen, and we have some serious matters to discuss."

"Such as what?" The lovely man named Gregory asked, squeezing my hand.

"Well we have stumbled upon something very interesting. You see, a few hours earlier, you brought in Aurelia Lewis for critical hospital care, and put the bill on your insurance."

"So what?" Gregory said.

"Well it seems that only a week ago Ms. Lewis was entered at a different hospital in the Boston area. She was brought in by Gregory Renard, who again used his insurance, and according to hospital records she should _still_ be in that hospital and not be allowed to see any visitors while in intensive care. It's quite the coincidence isn't it Mr. Renard?"

Gregory's mouth was in a thin line.

"When I insisted on seeing the very Miss Lewis that was supposed to be in the other hospital it seems that no one could find her. Almost as though she was never in the hospital to begin with, that perhaps it was just a clever cover up to allow Ms. Lewis to go missing no questions asked." The detective continued.

"That's quite the assumption." Gregory said, trying to maintain his cool.

"Mr. Renard." The detective said. "You kidnapped this young girl didn't you? You kidnapped her and made her disappearance look like an accident, and then when she was seriously hurt you brought her here, apparently forgetting about the fact that according to records she is supposed to be somewhere else."

"What?" I said, finding my voice. I pulled my hand away from him. "You kidnapped me? I don't understand, you—why? Why did you kidnap me?" This didn't make sense, how could this man who had seemed so kind have kidnapped me.

"No. No Aurie it wasn't—I didn't—please remember Aurie! Remember me!"

"You don't remember this man?" The detective asked me.

"She had amnesia." Gregory answered. "She will remember soon I assure you."

"Until then I think you should come with me." Detective Owen said.

"No. I'm not leaving her!" Gregory said, touching my hair.

"Don't touch me! Get away!" I cried. I was so confused. Something still didn't make sense; something was tugging at the back of my mind telling me to think hard.

"Aurie!" He shouted. "Aurie please!"

"Back up!" The detective yelled out the door.

Two men came in grabbing each of Gregory's arms pinning them behind his back. He fought them off easily.

"Aurelia!" He shouted.

I covered my ears with my hands and started to sob. My shoulder stung as I pulled the muscle to much. _Stop. Stop. Stop. Go away. Go away. Please someone help me! I don't understand. _I thought.

"Go away!" I yelled to no one in particular.

"Mr. Renard, if you do not cooperated we will be forced to use drastic measures." Someone said to him. I was not sure as to whom.

The men cuffed Gregory's hands behind his back.

"Mr. Renard." The detective said. "You are under arrest as a suspect in the kidnapping of Aurelia Lewis, breaking and entering as well as assisting in false hospital documentation. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law, you have the right to an attorney and if you cannot provide one, one will be provided to you."

They drug him out of the room. He twisted and looked at me.

"Aurie! Aurie, remember! Tell them!" He screamed. People passing in the halls were beginning to stare.

"I can't! Go away and leave me alone!" I sobbed.

They drug him out and I felt a huge hole in my stomach. If only I could remember. _Think. Think. I have to think. _I knew it was important but I was so afraid and confused.

The detective was still in the room. He placed a hand on the top of my head stroking my hair.

"It's going to be okay. Before you know it you will have your old life back and you won't ever have to be afraid again." He said softly.

"What will happen to him?" I asked.

"We can't convict him without your testimony. In all honesty we don't have enough evidence to convict him without it. It you can't remember soon, he will be free to go."

"No pressure." I said curtly.

"I'm sorry, but that's the reality of it." He said.

"Just go away." I whispered. He walked to the door turning to speak to me once more. His eyes were filled with so much sympathy.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine." I said. _Just fine._


	16. Interrogation

*****Gregory's Point of View*****

I sat in a dimly lit interrogation room of a small police station. The detective that was speaking to me now was the same one who had put me under arrest. My father sat next to me, he was going to be my lawyer.

Detective Owen sat in his chair, twirling a pen back and forth between his fingers waiting for the right time to begin speaking.

"Where were you last evening prior to finding Ms. Lewis?" He asked. His eyes were narrowed, dark moon shaped circles were starting to show against his pasty skin.

"I was trying to look for her. I already told you she was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend." I said exasperated. _We had already gone through this question. _I thought.

"And you just happened to pull her out of the small shack that is precariously close to your restaurant moments before it went up in flames?" He prodded.

"I'm just lucky I guess." I quipped with a sarcastic smirk. My father gave me an unappreciative side glance.

"How did you meet Aurelia prior to this incident?" He pressed, rising up to lean against the table, his eyes boring into mine as though he was trying to intimidate me.

"Through that very ex-boyfriend, he had been lying to her and I thought she deserved to know the truth." I said.

"When did you tell her the truth about her boyfriend?" He pressed. "It must have been before she was supposedly admitted to the hospital a week ago, you know before she stopped showing up for work and before her neighbors complained of a loud ruckus coming from her apartment one evening."

"Don't answer that." My father cut in. "Look detective, you have no reason to keep my son here. There are no fingerprints, no witnesses, and no other evidence other than what seems to be a hospital slip up."

"You mean to tell me that her being admitted into two hospitals at once is a mere slip up?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

"It's the only thing that seems logical. For all we know she went in a week ago with a simple head cold and the hospital got her paperwork mixed up." My father continued. "This kind of thing happens all the time. I just feel terrible for the poor person who was in serious condition that was mistakenly given Dayquil."

"If it was a simple mix up then why wouldn't she just go back to work?" Detective Owen said.

"The trauma of finding out about her boyfriend's lies." I said curtly. "She was looking for a fresh start that had nothing to do with him."

"Ah yes her boyfriend, Brian Costello right?" Detective Owen asked. I nodded. "Funny thing, people from her work said that she was dating a man by the name Lucas Miller."

"Another lie." My father said. "As my son told you, he let Aurie know the truth about her boyfriend, which also consisted of his true identity. Lucas Miller is Brian Costello. He was trying to get out of the country for stealing money from my family, and the family of my friends."

"Yes, you mentioned that earlier as well. How come none of you reported it Mr. Renard?" He asked addressing my father.

"Simple misjudgment." My father said smoothly. "I've known Brian's family for a long time, all of us thought we could handle him on our own, we see now that it was a grave mistake. However that mistake had nothing to do with why we're here."

"It might be, because now Brian Costello as well as his accomplice Paul Giomantee have gone missing." Detective Owen said.

"They must have gotten away. They realized that they couldn't get away with what they wanted so they fled, leaving Aurie behind." I put in.

"It seems odd that they would make that realization after going through all the trouble of abducting her from your home." He said.

"To be honest I think he took her because he was angry that I told her the truth about him and that we were together in the aftermath. He took her and held her ransom wanting to keep the money in exchange for her; I just needed to provide the things for his getaway." I said.

"It makes sense." Detective Owen admitted. "Why wouldn't you report the kidnapping, that way we would have more than your phone records to prove that you were even in communication with Costello?"

"Like my father, I have a lot of pride." I said simply. "I thought I could handle it myself. If I had known how it would turn out I would have reacted differently."

"What did you say to Brian and his accomplice to make him give up? He had everything he needed to get you to cooperate and see that the ransom be paid, so why quit?"

"You got me." I said shrugging my shoulders. "The only thing I did is threaten him if he hurt her, which would be a natural reaction for anyone. After that I have no clue what happened. I walked in and saw Aurie hurt and bleeding on the floor. My only thought was to get her out. Shortly after I heard that the building had caught fire."

"You don't have a single clue how she got the bullet wound?" He asked.

My father cut in. "My guess is that Brian threatened her with a gun and she tried to fight back fearing her life. I think it was mere self defense."

"There are still a few holes in the story Mr. Renard. Such as why you felt it was necessary to spill Brian's grotesque secrets in the first place.

I sighed heavily before answering. "Aurelia is a lovely and gentle girl. I know how hard her life has been and I didn't think that she deserved to live a lie."

"We can see when searching your apartment that Aurie has been living with you, what with the clothes and such that we found. It just seems odd when she is still signed to her lease at her apartment."

"After I told her the truth we became close, close enough that we fell in love and even became intimate. I offered to let her stay with me for a while." I said.

"So, here she has this boyfriend that she has reportedly been with for a year, according to her colleague at work, she finds out that everything he has told her is a lie." He said.

"Yes." I responded.

"Then suddenly after only knowing you a week she agrees to leave everything behind, including her possessions to live with you." He questioned. _I'll give him one thing, he's not stupid. _I thought about the detective.

"I've known her longer than a week." I said. It wasn't exactly a lie. I had known her for months; she was just unaware of that at the time. "We were talking frequently of moving her things into my place, as well as getting her out of her lease at her apartment, but nothing had been done yet."

"You said she didn't go back to work because of the trauma of her boyfriend though." He said with new found confidence. "Which means that even if you knew her for a long time, that is still only a week that consisted of you two falling in love and her moving in with you. It seems that you moved in pretty fast."

"To be honest, since I've known her I've had a crush on her, and I think that ever since she has known me that she has been the same." I said, twisting at the truth. "It was a bit of a star-crossed lover situation, once we were finally able to join together we just dove in head first."

Detective Owen sighed. Kneading his temples with his fingertips. _He knows he has nothing to prove anything._

"There still leaves a question in my mind on where she was for an entire week while many thought she was hospitalized. Her traumatized heart must have been healed since as you say, the two of you fell in love instantly, why wouldn't she return to work and end the confusion?"

"I think I can answer that." My father said. "I was looking into a paid internship for her at my firm, something with better pay than what she had before and that would be close to my son's home so she could continue living with him. She was supposed send a message to her boss to give two weeks' notice but I guess that paperwork must have gotten lost. Like we mentioned earlier, she wanted a fresh start."

"It seems that a lot of mix-ups and accidents occur around you Gregory Renard." Detective Owen said his jaw tightening.

"What can I say; when I get lucky enough to get a girl like Aurelia I guess everything else goes haywire. It must be nature's way of creating equilibrium." I said adding a sarcastic grin.

"I'll give you one thing." He said. "You two are either damn good liars who are quick on your feet or you have been going through quite a bizarre series of events." He sighed again. "I have no further questions. You are free to go for now, but the second Aurelia Lewis gets her memory back we will bring her in here and find out the truth. Until then you are to stay away from her. If we catch you with her we will assume that you are trying to intimidate her into telling the same story you have told me and we will arrest you. Is that clear?"

I nodded tersely. My father and I got up and left without saying a word to one another until we got into my father's car.

"That went better than I expected." He said. "But we have a problem, even if she gets her memory back—"

"_When_ she gets her memory back." I corrected.

"Even _when_ she does get her memory back, if a single detail she gets is off we will be in a load of trouble. This is the kind of thing that could threaten the secrecy of our world."

"I know that." I said. "I can't keep away from her. She could need me and I bet she is just so scared and confused if I could just reach out to her."

"The last thing you need to start doing is draw more attention to yourself." He warned me. "I want you to lie low and let everything else to fall into play. The council has acknowledged how well you have handled the problem with Brian my son, despite our current setback, but now they want you to step back and let the rest of us clean up the aftermath."

"I don't care about the council anymore or what they think!" I said loudly.

"You better." He responded sternly. "You have committed yourself to them and to your people, they look to you for guidance and protection."

"Obviously I'm not qualified to protect." I muttered.

"What happened with Aurelia wasn't your fault! You couldn't have known."

"I should have. She could be dead right now, and all because of me." I said.

"But she's not, she's going to be just fine." He assured.

"That's what I'm afraid of, whenever she's just fine there's always a problem."

We were silent for a while longer.

"Look I know you're frustrated, but you have to keep calm and you have to keep your faith in the council." He said. "You never know, something like what Aurie did to help our community could be… _rewarded._

"Rewarded?" I asked, knowing what he meant.

"Yes, especially with her boyfriend being on the council as well, she could find herself being rewarded just like Brian's great grandfather was." He continued.

I smiled, feeling a bit of hope. _Maybe she and I can really be together forever. _I thought.

"By the way, I think I may have an idea on how to help Aurie." My father said, turning to me to give me a smile.


	17. Visitor

I had been standing in front of what I was told was my front door for twenty minutes. I had a newly made key in my hand ready to unlock the door and enter into the place that was supposed to be my home. I was so afraid. Taking a deep breath I stuck the key in the hole and turned it opening the door.

The room was simple. Dingy white walls with beige carpeting surrounded most of my view. The small kitchen had nothing spectacular, and the living room had a small couch with a tiny coffee table and old looking television propped up on some desk. There were no photographs, no paintings, and few special items that gave the apartment any character. _What was my life like?_

I knew nothing but what I had been told. No family, no friends, and I had apparently only ever spoke to a few other colleagues at work but never told them anything overly personal.

I led myself to the bedroom; a room clad with a small bed, a dresser and a nightstand with a picture on it. _Maybe this can jog my memory. _I thought picking the photo up. A cheap silver frame held a picture of me with a man. The man's sandy hair swept over his dull brown eyes, a blue sweater pulled over his thin frame. He and I were standing next to each other in some park, both smiling at the camera. I read the caption under the photo: _Me and Lucas._

_Lucas? _That must have been the boyfriend that the police was referring to when taking me home. They said that there was speculation on both his identity as well as his whereabouts, but that nothing had been officially determined yet. I sat on the bed head in my hands, I felt like a lost child in a supermarket; everything around it suddenly unfamiliar, with the hope of finding out how to get back to comfort and understanding.

The phone rang loudly. I reached for it answering sullenly. "Hello?"

"Ms. Lewis? This is Detective Owen, we met at the hospital."

"Yes I remember." I said softly.

"I just wanted to give you an update and see to it that you were safe at home."

"Oh. Okay."

"Well, I personally spoke to Gregory Renard." He began.

"The man that was with me at the hospital." I confirmed.

"Yes." He said. "After talking with him and his lawyer, who was also his father, we found that we had no proof to keep him. His story adds up and we have no witnesses or evidence anywhere to prove that he had in fact abducted you, according to him you too were together, but you consented to it."

"So what happened to him?" I asked, panic rising in my throat.

"We had to let him go." He said. "But I don't want you to worry in the least Ms. Lewis. He has been told that he is not allowed to be anywhere near you. You both live a few hours apart so there shouldn't be a problem. The only reason he may be in your area is for business and for that he would need an escort from our services. We are also tracking him through his cell phone to make sure he doesn't try and sneak over to you."

"What if he dumps the cell phone?" I asked.

"We have the right to randomly check him and make sure it is still in his possession. Violation of any sort will result in his arrest." He said. "Also, I will be checking up on you too, whenever you get your memory back we will be able to figure everything out."

"What happens if I never get my memory back?" I asked. "I live in Boston it's not like you can keep him out of this area permanently."

"We have a month." Detective Owen admitted. "If your memory doesn't come back by then, we can no longer hold him suspect to anything, he will have his privacy back and be free to do what he wishes, legally anyway."

"That's a lot of pressure on my memory." I said infuriated.

"I know, but it's the reality of the situation." He said. "Look Ms. Lewis, I have full faith that your life will be back to normal soon, memory and all. Good day now." He hung up the phone.

"Bye." I said to the dial tone.

I did not want to sit around feeling sorry for myself. I wanted to find anything I could about who I was to jog my memory.

I stripped my entire apartment looking for anything; I had little progress since there wasn't much among my things. I found a shoe box filled with photos of me as a young child.

There was nothing spectacular, school photos with blue backdrops, ones of me next to Christmas trees or with birthday cakes setting in front of me, ones where I wore Halloween costumes and Easter dresses. Most of the photos had just me in it.

The one that I found most dear though, had me with two people who I assumed were my parents. A woman with long black hair and sparkling violet eyes with a man with chocolate brown hair and green eyes each held the hand of a small me, no more than a year old trying to walk down a dirt road. The back read; _Arthur, Elia, and Aurelia. _I looked at my parents names again. _Arthur and Elia, which must have been how they got my name. It's a combination of both of theirs._

_Why didn't I have this picture on display anywhere? _I took the picture out and replaced it with the one that said me and Lucas, finding the family photo far more comforting. _I wish I could remember you guys, I wish you were here with me now._

I couldn't stay in this place, not now anyway. I grabbed a purse that had my wallet in it and I grabbed my keys then bolted out of the room and down the hall of the complex, rushing out into the streets.

I looked around as cars bustled by me and people walked, each giving me looks that showed concern and confusion over my panicked face. I pulled something out of my jeans pocket; it was an address that a police officer had given me, the address of the place where I had worked.

I asked around on how to get there and found that it wasn't very far from where I was. I raced there, unaware of anything around me other than my destination.

The building was small. It was a single story, brick building with dark windows and few people walking passed it in its awkward location. Prepared for the worst I opened the doors and stepped in, seeing two small front desks. In one sat a young girl who looked like she was in high school, she was focused so deeply on the computer she didn't notice me. At the other desk a girl with strawberry blonde hair and bright blue eyes rushed toward me.

"Aurie! Aurie you're okay we've been so worried, what happened?" She asked frantically.

"Uh-well…" I said.

"Oh I'm so sorry I didn't realize you don't-well I mean you can't-uh…" She said.

"It's okay, I actually came here hoping you can tell me something, anything you can about-you know…me." I finally said.

"Sure." She said trying to regain composure. "Here sit."

I did, and then I looked at her to begin.

"Oh right." She said. "Well first my name is Kathy, in case you were wondering. What is it you want to know?"

"Were we friends?" I asked.

"Uh, well not really." She said. "We got along well and everything, but you were very dedicated to your secretary job and you only ever came to work and then straight home. I tried to invite you along with me and a few others here as well for lunch or for drinks afterward, but you always declined. I sort of gave up after a while." She continued her eyes dropping.

"What was I like?" I asked.

"Quiet." She said. "You kept to yourself and rarely told me about your personal life. I only ever knew about your boyfriend because he used to come by here and pick you up to go somewhere. To be honest even when I saw you with him you really never showed any interest. It always seemed like you were just with that guy because you felt like you had to be."

"So you and I never even spoke to each other? You can't tell me anything?"

She rested her chin in the palm of her hand and looked down at her desk thinking carefully, almost as though she was trying to find a nice way to tell me I was an anti-social loner.

"One time we were sitting here working until closing. It was the night before you were admitted into the hospital-or where ever it was you were. You were just typing away on the computer and then you looked up and told me you thought something was wrong with the way Lucas looked at you, you said it was like he was looking right through you rather than at you. You didn't say it like it bothered you, but rather like it was just a fact. I thought it was odd, but I chose not to say anything. After that you grabbed your coat and your bag and left." She said, looking at me carefully.

"That's strange." I said. _Had I known something and just ignored it? _It was too much I had to leave. With nowhere else to leave to, I got up to go home. "Thanks Kathy, I really appreciate this but I have to go."

"Bye Aurie." I heard her say as I left.

_Who was I? Was I that much of a drab, morose hermit that I kept everyone at an arm's length. _I wondered what Gregory was to me. He seemed to love me and I felt something between us before I had learned that he may have abducted me. Stockholm syndrome perhaps? _No, it didn't feel like that, not with him. _But what else could it be?

Faster than I realized I was back in my apartment sitting at the television. I flipped through the channels when a news station caught my attention.

**_We have no information on the alleged kidnapping of the young Bostonian woman that occurred several days ago. The only reports we have are from that of Detective David Owen who is on standby; here is what he has to say:_**

_The girl has suffered amnesia and doctors are unable to determine the severity of it as well as when or if she will recover._

_As far as her captor, do to his legal representation we are unable to disclose any personal information about him and won't be able to until the young woman, whose identity is also to be kept secret, remembers what happened and comes forward._

_I ask that for anyone who may know either of these parties to remain silent and not to bring either in the media light. Those who violate this request will be put under arrest for harassment and interference with a police investigation. Thank you._

**_Thank you Detective. Despite wanting to keep the identity of these two secret, officials do ask that if anyone is a witness to any suspicious behavior they may have seen between a young man and a young woman both in their twenties in the state of Massachusetts, to come forward with any reports, it may help put this mystery to an end. _**

I flicked off the television not wanting to here anymore. I laid flat on the couch wanting to try and get some sleep.

**_Knock Knock_**

_Go away. _I thought, getting up to open the door anyway. I turned the knob and saw a gorgeous woman on the other side.

"Can I help you?" I asked, staring in what seemed to be very familiar silver eyes.

"No, but I think I can help you." She said. "My name is Marguerite."


	18. My Hero

"Hello Marguerite. Do you and I know each other?" I asked.

"Yes we do." She said stepping in. "We met once before, I'm Gregory's sister."

I gasped. I hadn't been expecting something like this to happen. "What are you doing here?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"We need to talk." She said sitting on my couch and placing her hands on her lap. I shut the door and sat next to her, looking at her intently.

"Look, if it's about that guy Gregory I just need to-

"No. Stop." She said slashing her hand through the air to cut me off. "What I'm going to tell you is going to change everything. I'm going to tell you everything that you need to know and I need you to listen to me."

"Okay." I said, afraid that if I argued I would regret it.

"Good." She said simply, a smile spreading across her face. "Let's begin."

She talked and I listened. I listened to her tell me the most bizarre story I have ever heard, and my only choice was to believe it. _Kidnapping. Being used as live bait. A con artist ex-boyfriend and falling in love with my captor who was-oh yeah…a vampire. And now here I am sitting next to that very vampire's vampire sister. Great._

When she was finished I stood up and paced around the room unsure of where to even begin.

"I'm sure you're just a little shocked." She said, trying to catch my eye.

"A little shocked?" I asked rhetorically. "No. No, people are a little shocked when they run into someone they haven't seen in a while. People become astronomically shocked when they find out that the life they were unaware of ever living turns out to be an episode of the Twilight Zone!"

"Alright I understand your hesitance to absorb the situation." She said.

"Are you always so damn calm?" I asked her.

"Generally." Marguerite said smirking.

I looked at her less than amused. "Do you always have a comment for everything?" I asked, trying to get her to not be so poised.

"Well when being asked a direct question like you just did I find it polite to answer. Otherwise…yes I do have a comment for everything, it's one thing me and my little brother have in common, that and our loveable charm." She added, smiling wider, I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Two reasons." She began. "One, to hope to jog your memory. I've already told you what Gregory told the detectives and I need you to know as well so when you do remember, Gregory and our people can be safe."

"Look, I understand you want my help but I don't think there is anything I can do."

"Reason number two," she said ignoring me. "Gregory is one of the most important people in my life, and other that perhaps you, no one knows him better than me."

I watched her as she continued on, she looked at me as though she was begging for me to understand, to remember instantly.

"A year ago if you asked Gregory what he wanted for his future he would tell you that he wanted to go international with his business, and that he had no interest in ever marrying or having any children." She said. "Then here you come, before you any girl he ever dated he was only with for a couple of weeks, and then there would be something wrong with her; he didn't like how she put on a lot of makeup, her laugh was weird, she chewed loudly, on and on there was always a flaw. He never once held their hand, took them back to his apartment or ever bought them a single gift, not even flowers."

"Okay, but what does this-

"Aurelia, please." She said. "Then I see him with you. He holds your hand as though if he lets go for even a second you will disappear, and the way he looks at you is a look that girls would kill for to get from him. He bought you an entire wardrobe and then some not to mention he mentioned to me once that he thinks that you would be a good mother. He loves you Aurelia."

Tears threatened to escape me. "I'm flattered, and he sounds wonderful, and maybe he and I are in love but I can't help that I can't remember any of this. I want to remember but I'm not going to force myself into something and come out hurting people. You say you love your brother and I understand that but I just can't force myself to feel something. The only thing I do know is detectives are saying that he kidnapped me and perhaps even brainwashed me."

"But you do feel something don't you?" She asked. "You do feel a connection toward him and you do know that there is something more to the story than what the detectives are telling you is the most logical."

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said.

"Yes you do." She said. "You feel something you can't explain, when he touches your hand, when he says your name, when he looks at you, even now you feel something."

"I don't know what that is." I said sheepishly.

"But you know it's something Aurie." She said. "My brother is heartbroken, I don't know when he last slept or ate, and I'm worried."

"I'm sorry."

We sat there for a long time not speaking a word. Then she stood up and began to leave.

"I want you to think about what I've told you." She said. Then she left me a business card. It read _Pescara._

"What's this?" I asked looking up at her.

"It's Gregory's business card for his restaurant." She said. "The police said he was not allowed to go near you, but said nothing about you going near him."

_Do I dare try? _I thought.

"Bye Aurelia." She said.

"Good bye Marguerite."

* * *

I don't know what compelled me to do it. But I was in a cab headed to Pescara hoping to both run into Gregory and not run into him.

I paid the cab as I pulled alongside a sleek building with bustling people and soft music. I stepped out looking around, the cold air nipped at my skin and the smell of the sea filled the air around me. _What do I do now?_

I walked into the front door, immediately feeling underdressed in my blue jeans and green sweater.

"Miss Aurelia Lewis!" I heard someone exclaim. "It's so good to have you again." I looked to see a man in suit that was too big for him approach me and take my hand.

"Hello sir." I said.

He laughed. "Miss Lewis there is no need to be so formal with me." He said. "So tell me, is Mr. Renard joining us this evening?"

"I don't know. I mean I'm not sure." I said, tugging on a loose thread on my sweater.

"Oh worry not my dear." He continued. "Would you like to head upstairs as you did before?"

"Yes." I said without thinking. I followed him to a small, dark stairway.

"Please, let yourself in." He said suddenly sounding sheepish. _Is he afraid? _I climbed up the stairs, looking behind me once more to see that the man had already left. _It's now or never. _I let myself in.

I looked around the room, filled with shades of red and black, with beautiful people dancing close together or sitting in booths chatting quietly, some looking like they were chatting about me, with the way they kept galncing over. I walked further into the room, only to chicken out and start to head back out the door.

"Lost little one?" A voice said.

I turned to see a young man, maybe a few years younger than myself.

"I don't know." I said. "I don't know why I am even here."

"Maybe I can help. But first for introductions." He said, stepping closer. "I'm Carson." He said with a smirk. "But I believe we have met before Aurelia."

"We have?" I said, feeling a little bit of hope.

"Yes we did." He confirmed. "You and I were about to hit it off but that insanely jealous Gregory stepped in. He got quite angry."

"Oh." I said.

"Hey," he said. "Would you like to take a walk outside? This hangout is a little to creepy for me."

"Sure." I said. Ignoring the feeling inside of me that said something wasn't right.

"Excellent." He said. Together we went out of the bistro ad stepped onto the cool sand of the beach. Carson prattled on about himself, but my mind was fixated on a small island that was far out, with a building setting on top of it that looked like it had been burned.

"What happened there?" I asked pointing to the spot.

"A tragic story really." He said. "A girl falls in love with a man that kidnaps her and who tells her the truth about her big bad boyfriend, then her boyfriend kidnaps her back as revenge, threatens to kill her, but she kills him first, then the girl sadly loses her memory, forgetting about her love, and about the other man who she humiliated once before. But _that_ man lures her away somewhere private, to seek his revenge."

I froze. I looked all around me and realized that we were in a secluded part of the beach. I gulped and looked at Carson, who was smiling evilly, his head cocked to the side.

"Yes very tragic," he said running a fingertip along my neck. He grabbed my hair and then bared his fangs. "Too bad about that poor girl, huh Aurelia?" He spat. I screamed hoping that someone, anyone could here. He pulled me close, I could feel the tips of his fangs press into my flesh.

"Let. Her. Go. Now." A dark voice said. Carson froze, his face becoming pale and his fingers leaving my hair. A strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me to a hard body. I looked to see Gregory_. _"I warned you once Carson, now I see I will have to see that you learn your lesson."

"Now, now." He said sounding terrified. "I was just teasing her. No harm, no foul right Aurie?" He said looking at me.

"Aurelia, do you think he is sincere?" Gregory asked looking down at me and smoothing my hair.

"I-I-"

"Because I don't." He said, looking back at Carson. "You have until the count of one to get the hell out of here, and don't think I won't see to it that the council looks into your behavior lately." If I had blinked, I would have missed Carson disappear, sprinting back into the parking lot.

"Teenagers." Gregory muttered. I looked up at him.

"Thank you Gregory." I said, pulling away.

"Anytime Aurie." He said. "I know I'm not supposed to be near you, but would you like to go somewhere and talk?"

I didn't know if I was an impulsive person before the amnesia, but I guess I was now, because some impulse inside of me told me that if I didn't do something drastic I would regret it. I grabbed him by the collar roughly and brought his lips toward mine.

I felt the heat of the kiss surrounding every inch of my body.

I felt his arms wrap around my waist, as my arms swept around his neck.

I felt how perfect everything fit together.

I felt myself remember. _Gregory._


	19. Now or Never

"Gregory." I whispered, pulling away from his lips.

"Aurie," he whispered back, his eyes still closed. "That was…unexpected" He said louder with a grin.

"Gregory…" I repeated, falling down into the sand, my head spinning.

"Aurie? Aurelia are you okay?" He asked, leaning over me with a worried expression.

"I…I think…I think I can remember…" I breathed heavily, my head spinning faster. _Mom, dad, crash, foster care, no one, alone, Lucas…no Brian, kidnapped…twice, Gregory, in love, in love with Gregory, being taken by Brian and Paul. Gregory._

"Gregory, oh Gregory." I said, wrapping my arms around him, trying to stand.

"You…you remember me?" He asked carefully.

I nodded happily, He picked me up and spun me around, setting me back down and kissing me deeply. And then I remembered something else, I pulled away.

"I killed Brian didn't I?" I said, looking up at Gregory.

"From what I could tell yes. Quite impressive for a human to kill a vampire, Brian hadn't fed in a long while so he was weak, but he still should have been able to take you on." He said. "When I got there I was so scared for you, though I guess I didn't need to be, you really didn't need me to save you."

"No, it wasn't that, this was my battle, it was my fight that Brian started and that I needed to finish." I said. "He was going to kill you, I know he would have done that no matter what, I had to save _you._"

His brows furrowed, nodding in understanding.

"What happened to him? His body I mean." I asked, afraid that I didn't want to know the answer.

"I burned him and Paul, as well as any evidence that that shack held." He said, emotionless.

"Oh. Oh my." I breathed. He brought his hand to my face, sweeping my hair behind my ear.

"It's done. The only thing I care about is making sure that you're okay." He looked at my neck, his eyes blackening. I immediately brought my hand up to it and could feel sticky moisture. "You're bleeding." He said, bringing his face closer. He moved my hand away as his lips touched the spot on my neck where two small holes had been made, I felt his tongue slick along the side of my neck. He groaned slightly. He took his finger and pricked it with his fang. Blood dripped on the tip of it and he brought his finger to my neck, allowing his blood to mix with mine.

"Am I going to be a vampire now?" I whispered.

He chuckled softly. "It's not that simple baby. You and I would have to exchange more blood than that to change you, and the change would be hard on you."

"Are you ever going to change me?" I asked, placing my hands on his chest.

"Perhaps," he said. "One day I just might make it official."

"You said it would be hard. Would it hurt?" I asked.

"I can't tell you one way or another Aurie." He admitted. "I have heard that it will take over like any bad flu that you humans get, but I don't know for sure."

"You've never been sick?" I asked.

"Nope." He said. I felt myself get lightheaded. "Are you okay."

"I think I just need some rest, that's all." I said. "Take me home, with you."

He smiled and then scooped me up in his arms. "You're wish is my command, baby." He said.

I laughed as he turned back into the parking lot.

"Not so fast." A voice said. Gregory and I turned to see Detective Owen standing just a few feet from us. _How much had he heard and seen?_

"Hello detective." I said politely, I looked to Gregory so he would put me down. He didn't.

"What is going on here?" Detective Owen asked.

"Nothing sir." Gregory said. "Aurie and I are just going home, _now." _

"You and I both know that can't happen Mr. Renard." He said.

"Wait." I cut in trying to think quickly. "I came here, Gregory did not seek me out, and therefore he cannot be in any trouble."

"Why did you come here Aurie?" Detective Owen asked, still eyeing Gregory.

"Because I remembered." I lied. "I remembered and I came here to try and find Gregory."

"Why?" He asked sounding confused.

"Because we're in love." I said. _Didn't he know that part? _

"So you're really in love?" He asked suspiciously.

"Yes. I know there was confusion before but that doesn't matter anymore. Gregory has been nothing but good to me."

"Aurie," he began. "If you remember, tell me where you were before you were in the hospital but after you stopped going to work."

_**Tell him you were moving in with me and that you were going to get a job at my father's work.**_

Gregory's voice rang in my head, _how did he do that? _But I said as he asked. "I was moving in with Gregory and I was trying to get work at his father's law firm."

Detective Owen raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you contact work about this abrupt change?"

_**Tell him you thought that you sent them a two week's notice.**_

"I did." I said. "I sent them a two weeks' notice."

"You do know that when you send a two week's notice you actually have to work those two weeks." Detective Owen said.

_**You needed time to settle in.**_

"Yes, but in this case I sent two weeks' notice, and then had to take a week off to get myself settled in at Gregory's. I unfortunately was unsuccessful at letting work know that I guess."

"Look Detective," Gregory said, speaking for the first time. "I know that for whatever reason you're just itching to put me behind bars, but we have done nothing wrong here. Aurelia had gotten her memory back and now the two of us would like to pick up where we left off."

The detective sighed. "Ms. Lewis you will need to come in to fill out an official report, but after that I guess we have no further need to investigate the two of you."

"Thank you." I said. He nodded and walked away, giving Gregory one last warning look.

"How did you do that?" I asked. "How did you get into my mind?"

"I didn't, I just opened my mind for you to listen to my thoughts and then projected them to you." He said.

"But how?" I asked.

"The blood exchange." He said. "It was an experiment. I was seeing how much a little bit of blood exchange would strengthen our connection. If you remember, when I fed from you the feeling was very powerful, I wondered if anything else would have heightened powers."

"So what does this mean?" I asked.

"This means you and I must speak with my father about the connection between the two of us." He said. "And then we go to the council."

"The council?" I asked.

"Yes the council." He repeated. "We will go to the council so they can see if you are to be accepted into our community. If they say yes, we can go on living like we are, I can change you into a vampire if you wish and no one will bother us in our companionship."

"What if they say no?" I asked.

"They won't." He said. "They are appreciative of your cooperation and your elimination of Brian and Paul, you saved us."

"What about Brian and Paul's families?" I wanted to know. "I doubt they see me as a hero."

"Paul has an older family that was disgraced by his disloyalty, though they probably still love him, they realize what had to be done."

"And Brian."

"Brian's hatred of our kind comes from how low ranked his family is, being the youngest vampire family we have. They have no power, and will be monitored to make sure they comply with what had to be done."

"But if you change me won't I be like them, I mean I…" Gregory set me down and put a finger to my lips.

"You being with me puts you on my family's level." He said. "Just like a king who marries a local girl from his kingdom, that girl becomes his queen, she is treated with respect, as will you be."

"So this is it then. If the council accepts me you and I will have to…" I began.

"Be stuck with each other forever." He said with a grin. "I know that I will be quite fortunate to get to keep you forever, I hope you can learn to deal with me."

"I like dealing with you." I said smiling back at him. He held my small hands in his large ones and smiled wider.

"That's a good thing." He said, leaning in to kiss me.

For the longest moment it felt like just the two of us, standing there along the beach, wrapping up in each other's arms.

When we left Gregory and I made plans to go back to his…_our_ place tonight and _reunite_. Then Gregory wanted to take me to my apartment to get my things and officially move me over.

In the morning we would have to face the council, or rather I would have to face the council, since Gregory was on it and he would be contributing to the decision of what to do with me. I hadn't prepared for it happening so soon. But I suppose sooner was better than later.


	20. The Council Meeting

I woke up feeling a familiar warmth and comfort. I was perfectly nestled into Gregory's large bed, I had covers keeping me warm and a big, strong arm slung lazily over my body. I turned to see Gregory sleeping soundly, his body moving up and down from his breathing. I kissed his temple then swung my legs out of bed heading to the bathroom.

I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes immediately going to my neck. I touched the part of it that Carson had sunk his fangs into, but all I felt was smooth skin, completely unblemished. _How did that happen?_

A pair of arms wrap around my waist. "Morning." Gregory murmured, nuzzling his face into my hair.

"My neck." I said simply, looking at him.

"What about it?" He asked sweetly.

"There are no marks." I said.

"No there wouldn't be." He said. "My blood healed it last night; it probably would have healed on its own in a few hours, which is part of how our kind stays so discrete. If humans didn't heal fast from vampire bites then there would be cities of people with two holes in their necks walking around."

"So am I always going to heal fast now?" I asked, partly already knowing the answer.

"No." He said with a grin, resting his chin on my shoulder. "You would need to have a complete change first."

"I thought so." I mumbled. "So when do we go?" I asked.

"We leave in a few hours to greet the council." He said.

"What if they say no Gregory?" I asked turning to face him.

"I already told you that they won't." He assured, though he didn't look at me as he said it.

"But what _if?_" I asked again.

"If by chance they deny your change, then I will have to run away with you and change you anyway." He said.

"Be serious." I said smiling at him.

"I am." He responded darkly. He took either hand to the side of my head, brushing my hair back. He kissed me down my jaw line, stopping just centimeters from my lips as he had done once before. "Like I said, I am keeping you all to myself, one way or another."

"You're very bad." I said jokingly.

"I thought that's how you liked me." He said seductively. I giggled as he kissed my throat repeatedly. "Let's get dressed, I think that the council will hardly find you wearing nothing but my t-shirt appropriate, though the male council members might enjoy it a bit, but that will just make me want to rip their throats out."

"Behave yourself Gregory." I said.

"I will if you will." He whispered against my cheek before kissing it.

"I always behave." I countered.

"I beg to differ." He said. "Last night you were very misbehaved when we came home."

"Gregory!" I said slapping his chest. He laughed deeply before dragging me in for our morning shower.

* * *

"I look ridiculous!" I said, crossing my arms in the car. Marguerite was driving her red SUV on her way to the council headquarters, Gregory was sitting in the back, me in the front passenger seat.

"You look adorable." Marguerite said, her cherry red framed sunglasses perched on her head.

"You put me in two braids with bows and a dress that a five year old would wear!" I whined looking down at my simple, paid, button down dress.

"Marguerite the bows are a bit much." Gregory said from the back seat.

"No one asked you." She said, eyeing him in the rearview mirror. "It's all about the impression you make."

"It's all about the impression you make." Gregory mimicked.

"Gregory!" She shouted.

"Gregory!" He repeated. I laughed, only to have Marguerite eye me too.

"You don't encourage him." She said to me, and then she turned to Gregory, "And _you, _I swear if someone told me my big brother was an entrepreneur and on the council I would laugh them into oblivion."

"And if someone told me you were a Peacemaker I would tell them they never had to share a house with you." He said.

"I was always a good sister to you." She defended.

"Yeah, when you weren't trying to stick me in the mailbox and send me back to the stork." He said bitterly.

"Will you two please be nice?" I said.

She sighed. "Fine. You can take out the bows and unbutton the top button of the dress, but that's it, the braids stay, it reminds them that you're young."

I dug the bows out and fixed the dress as she said.

We pulled up to a very small building. It was small and square, with a lovely manicured lawn as well as a sign on the front door that said; _PRIVATE. _

Gregory pulled open my door and helped me out, holding my hand in his and tugging on my braid.

"You ready?" He asked.

"I guess." I said nervously.

"Just smile, and answer their questions honestly." Marguerite said, heading up the stone path. When she wasn't looking Gregory took out my braids and ruffled my hair back into its usual place.

"Much better." He said. "Though the braids were cute, you should wear your hair like that more often."

I smiled at his attempt to distract me. He led me into the building, the interior not at all matching the simplicity of the outside. The high walls were covered in tapestries and sconces. The tiled floor was shined perfectly, and a long blood red carpet led to a round oak wood table surrounded by chairs, all of which were filled with beautiful men and women, except for three empty seats.

Marguerite stood at the table, everyone stood up from their seats and bowed their heads, she repeated the gesture and sat down.

"Do I need to bow?" I whispered quickly to Gregory as we drew nearer.

"No not this time, but when we officially accept you, you will have to start doing so at any other council meeting you go to, public or private." He said.

"There are public meetings?" I asked, noticing no one else other than the council being there.

"Most are public, except situations such as this." He let go of my hand and bowed his head to the council after they bowed their heads to him. Gregory pulled out a chair for me and I sat, hands in my lap as Gregory slid into his chair.

Gregory's father Xavier stood up. "As Head of Council I hereby call this meeting to order."

_As head of council?_

_**Did I forget to mention that? **_Gregory thought to me.

_Kind of._

His father continued on. "Today we are determining whether or not to allow Miss Aurelia Violet Lewis into our society, hereby changing her into a vampire and allowing her to marry into our families. Today's decision is simple. I will give you the evidence on what she has done and what she could do for us. First and foremost, she cooperated with the troubles we had with the youngest Costello family member, she then fought him in combat when she felt that he would harm one of our own; more than just our own but a councilman who is also my own son." He said acknowledging Gregory. "Her bravery and her hurdles have proven to me and should prove to you that she is willing to do anything to help our kind."

"No." A woman with short brown hair said. "She was willing to do anything to protect her new boyfriend." She said casting a side glance to Gregory.

"What does that matter Lisa?" Marguerite asked calmly. "He is one of our own just the same. We are not asking her to be our protector; we are showing that she has compassion for our kind despite the fears that the human world has force their kind to have for ours, and she came through in saving one of us."

The woman's mouth went into a thin line.

"What about our justice system?" A blonde man said. "We handle things on our own, and here she is not only killing Brian but Paul as well, we don't even know what Paul had to do with it."

"I didn't kill Paul." I said in defense without thinking. Ten heads turned to me.

"Then who did?" The blonde man said.

"Brian. I saw him kill Paul, and I only killed Brain in self defense." I said. Murmurs spread through the room. Gregory grabbed my hands and squeezed them gently.

A woman with a long thick black ponytail stood. "I don't understand the confusion. She helped us; we were prepared to deal with Brian by any means necessary at this point. I think that after taking her from our home and not giving her much of a choice to decide on whether or not she wants to cooperate, not to mention completely changing her world, the least we could do is change her. That is of course unless she doesn't want to." She finished sitting back in her seat.

"Do you want to?" Marguerite asked me.

I looked over at Gregory, who gave me a smile and a wink. "Yes." I said.

"Then we vote." The woman with the black ponytail said.

"No. Not yet." A lovely female voice said from behind. I turned to look at her, she was stunning. Her auburn hair and dark eyes seemed so familiar.

_**My mother. **_Gregory thought to me.

_She's beautiful._

She walked over to the table elegantly. Xavier stood from his chair and offered her his seat.

"Billy," He said to her, kissing her cheek, lingering for just a second. She smiled secretively at him and sat smoothly.

"Mother," Marguerite began. "How has your research gone?"

"Perfectly." She said. "I have found the answer to something quite rare that occurred."

"What is it?" A councilmember asked, I was not sure as to whom.

"Gregory mentioned to me that he once fed from Aurie, and saw streams of color, and now the two of them can communicate telepathically." More murmurs spread through as Billy went on. "Only two other cases of similar matter have ever occurred." She continued, stopping briefly to cast a smile and a side glance to Xavier. I also noticed Marguerite touch her wedding band and smile to herself.

"Yes," the blonde man said. "With yourself and Xavier Renard as well as with your daughter and her husband. So are you saying that Gregory and Aurelia are…?"

"Yes." She said. "They are twin souls. Two lovers bound together and meantt to find one another. Like I said, it is quite rare."

"But how can you know this for sure?" A redheaded man asked. "It was different for you, and Marguerite, both of you were born vampires."

"When born vampires begin to join together romantically they exchange blood." Gregory explained. "It's nothing too much; they each cut their hands and bring them both together. This is the ultimate gesture that you want to spend the rest of your life with that vampire. With my mother and Marguerite, they experienced the same connection to their husbands that you and I felt when I fed from you."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"I didn't really know much about the connection. I didn't want to say anything until I spoke with my mother." He said.

"Now you know everything." Xavier said to the council. "She is meant to be with our kind, whether or not she ever helped us, she belongs here with us. All council members shall say either yes to let her be changed or no to keep her human. It is time to vote."


	21. Vote

"I say yes." The woman in the long black ponytail said.

"Yes." Marguerite said.

"Yes." Xavier said with a nod.

"I say yes as well." Gregory said, giving me another wink.

_**Only six votes to go Aurie, mother won't vote she's not an official council member. **_I breathed heavily.

"Yes." A woman with curly blonde hair who had not spoken during the meeting said.

The red headed man was next. "Why not? Yes." He said indifferently.

_That's it; I only need a majority right Gregory?_

_**No baby, for someone to be turned into a vampire, it requires a unanimous vote.**_

_Great._

"Yes." Another man said.

"Yes." I heard again. Only two left, and of course it was from the two who had given me a hard time to begin with; the brown haired woman and the blonde man. I looked to the woman for her vote.

"I suppose she has proven herself. Yes" She said in a high tone, though her expression remained neutral.

_Just one more left._

"No." The blonde said. "This entire mission was supposed to be handled by Gregory, and she interfered where she wasn't supposed to.

"Are you saying you would have rather let that Brian Costello steal our money, abduct this poor girl and murder my son for the sake of the council's pride? That all that would be worth it as long as a human girl, who did even asked to be dragged into this mess I might add, didn't interfere?" Xavier said.

"My vote is my vote and I am not to be bullied into changing it so that your son can keep his girlfriend." He said.

"Dawson." Marguerite said. "Gregory proved himself astronomically and I am not just saying that as his sister. He got her to trust us and he also got her to cooperate with our plan, and she did, she came through more than anyone could have expected. Unbeknownst to us everything took a turn for the worst but that is not anyone's fault. I ask you to reconsider; either choice you make doesn't affect you."

"I say we screw the majority vote for who should change." Gregory said.

"Well to change a rule would still need a unanimous vote ." Dawson said.

"Please." I said. "I realize that you may not like me or what I have done to help you, but it wasn't meant to anger you, or insult you or hurt your pride. I was trying to protect Gregory, which was my only priority. I wouldn't change what I did for a second, even if I knew it would change your vote. Please reconsider, like Marguerite said, my change isn't going to affect you at all."

He sighed. "You have to understand that this isn't personal. I realize why you did what you did but at the same time your actions could have caused our kind a greater threat."

"But they didn't." I argued. "They helped you."

"No," he continued. "They got a private investigator to go snooping through a fellow council member's life, something that could have exposed us in such a way that all of us would be in danger."

"What did you want me to do?" I asked. "If I had let Brian go on with his plan-"

"We knew of his plan it was a set up!" Dawson said. "We were prepared to take him out by surprise and everyone would have been fine."

"But I didn't know that." I said. "And it wasn't my fault that I lost my memory briefly; it was Brian's. He was the one who caused all of this and he was the one that betrayed you."

"I know that." He said. "But like I said this isn't personal. The only reason why half of these people if not more even voted in your favor is because of their love for Gregory; they see what you have done for him and they find it sweet so they think that by voting for you to change, they are contributing to a happy ending. If you two hadn't fallen in love your changing wouldn't have even been a question."

"I suppose then the decision had been made." Xavier said heavily. "Does anyone else have anything further to say?"

Silence.

_No this can't be happening._

_**It isn't over yet Aurelia.**_

"Well then, the decision to turn Aurelia Lewis into a vampire has been denied." He said. "Meeting-"

"Wait." Gregory said, standing. "If this is the decision that must be made then I have something to say. I hereby recede from the council and our community and choose to live as an independent vampire." With that he grabbed my hand and drug me out of the room, heading outside.

_What are we going to do now?_

_**We can run away together.**_

_You can't do that. You have this council, your business and your whole family. You can't live without them._

_**They'll understand. It's not like we can't keep in touch, and I can still keep my businesses; they have nothing to do with my role in the community.**_

_You're sacrificing everything for me. I can't ask you to do that._

_**I know what you're thinking Aurie, I can feel it. If you think for a second that you are going to leave me so I can keep everything else in my life you're insane**_.

_It's what's best for you. If I just leave you now…_

_**Then I will follow you and bring you back. I kidnapped you once before Aurelia and I will do it again if I have to.**_

_Where will we go? _

_**Anywhere you like. The world is ours.**_

"Gregory!" A booming voice came from behind. I saw Xavier run up to us; his wife Billy and daughter Marguerite on his heels. "Gregory stop!"

Gregory didn't listen, his eyes determined on the road ahead. I stopped walking and tugged on his arm.

"Gregory," I said. "Your father is on our side; let him say what he needs to say." His jaw tightened, but he stopped and turned, his hand never letting go of mine.

"You can't do this." His mother said.

"I don't have a choice." He responded. "Aurie is who I love and it is her who I want in my life."

"Being an independent vampire is like putting a target on your back and hers as well." Xavier said pointing to me. "Independent vampires are still watched. If you two or any of your decedents after you slip a toe out of line they will be all over you, our people will come after you if they feel you're a threat to our safety, independent or not."

"I'll be careful." Gregory said.

I saw Dawson in the background hovering by the door with the other members. I ripped my hand from Gregory's and stomped over to him. Stopping just inches from him I looked him straight in the eye.

"Who was she?" I asked.

"Excuse me?" He said.

"Who was she? The girl that you loved that was also rejected the change. Or perhaps she didn't want to or was afraid, and now since the girl you love can't change no one else can." I accused.

He clenched his jaw. "There was no one."

"I don't believe you." I said.

He was seething. But then his eyes became filled with sadness as he sighed heavily. "She was beautiful; blonde and tall and elegant. I remember when I first saw her. She had a flat tire and it was supposed to be hours before the tow truck was supposed to come. She was crying because she was late to her parent's anniversary party. I happened to have a spare and the equipment to change it so I lent her a hand. She said that as a thank you I was welcome to come with her to the party. Normally I would have declined, but she was so beautiful and I thought she was so endearing, so I agreed. We were together for two years."

"What happened after that?"

"I knew she was the girl I wanted to marry, but she was human. So I decided to find a way to let the council agree to her change."

"The council said no." I said.

"She and I broke up before I could even lobby before her change; I was going to get the council to agree to it before I even told her what I was, I didn't know how she would react and I didn't want to get her hopes up. But she saw me later on drinking off a club girl and she assumed I was cheating on her."

"What was her name?"

"Her name was Kathy, Kathy Stevenson." Dawson said.

_Kathy Stevenson. I know a Kathy Stevenson. Oh my God. Kathy! Kathy from my work!_

"Kathy Stevenson." I said. "The one who works at the loan agency in Boston?"

His eyes lit up briefly. "You…you know Kathy_, my Kathy_?"

"We worked together." I said. "If I can at least get her to meet with you will you change your vote?"

He thought for a long while.

"Dawson," Marguerite said. "If Aurelia can get her to agree to see you, and to understand what you are, I can guarantee that when you lobby for her change; myself, my father and my brother will vote in her favor. That is if you agree to change your vote for Aurie."

"I think we shall all agree to that vote." Xavier said looking at the other council members. "Does anyone object the vote of Kathy Stevenson?

Silence.

"Agreed." Dawson said.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	22. Surprise

Dawson insisted on staying in the car despite my suggestions that Kathy would be more understanding if she could actually see him. _Men._

"This is a big risk Aurie, I'm surprised the council okayed it without any good reasoning or thorough research on this girl." Gregory said.

"Who cares why the council okayed it or not, the point is I bet if we can, at the very least get the two of them talking I can be with you forever and you can still be with your world." I said.

"Look, I'm open for doing anything it takes for the two of us to be together, you know that, but like I said we know nothing about this girl." He said whispering harshly as we approached her door. I remembered her mentioning once where she lived, and Gregory used some of his associates to track down her exact whereabouts. I reached to ring the doorbell but Gregory grabbed my arm. "Have you thought of what will happen if she becomes frightened or tells us to go to Hell?"

"No." I admitted. "But if you are willing to give up your whole life for me, then I'm willing to take this risk for you."

"That's not what I mean." He said. "If she does not react well the council has a right to destroy her if they feel that she is a threat to our secrecy."

I looked at him horrified. "But they can't do that!"

"They've been known to do it before." He told me.

"But they took that risk on me, what would have happened if I had reacted poorly?" I asked.

"You didn't, so it does not matter." He said looking away.

"That's not what I asked Gregory. If I hadn't cooperated would they have wanted me killed after getting what they needed from me?"

"It was my job to make sure that that didn't happen. Surprisingly to both them and myself I exceeded those expectations by falling in love with you." He said with a slight grin.

"Gregory." I said sternly.

He sighed. "Yes Aurie, they would have wanted to kill you if they felt you would have gone running into the streets screaming vampire. But like I said, you didn't, we however don't know if she will."

"Are you willing to take that chance? It could mean everything Gregory." I said desperately. _Come on don't back out now, we have come so far._

He sighed again and kissed my forehead. "You win." He surrendered. "But next time it's my turn to win the argument."

I laughed, "Yeah right, women never let men win Gregory." I said. He chuckled and ruffled my hair as I rang the bell.

"Hello?" Kathy said opening the door. "Oh, Aurie! I heard that you got your memory back." She continued cheerfully. "Who is this?" She asked looking at Gregory.

"This is Gregory, my boyfriend." I stiffened for a moment. It was the first time that _I _had actually referred to him as _my boyfriend._

"Pleasure to meet you Kathy." Gregory said offering a hand his face not showing any emotion other tah cordialness to Kathy.

"Please come in." She said. "Would either of you like something to drink?"

"No thank you." Gregory said declining for both of us. "We actually have something important to discuss with you." I recognized the face he had on; stern and determined, he was not going to end this without a proper fight.

"Oh." She said in surprise. "Well, go ahead then." He hands were clasped together nervously, almost anticipating what we had to say.

"It's about Dawson." I said, trying to gage her expression further.

"What about him?" She spoke in almost a whisper, her brow furrowed.

I took a deep breath as I began to tell her everything. I told her about who both Dawson and Gregory really were and why she had seen what she had seen. At first I could tell she was really trying to listen and comprehend everything. Then she began to look at me as if it was a joke.

"It's no joke." Gregory said seriously, he was leaning forward like a businessman leaning forward on his desk, not willing to budge and prepared to go in for the kill to get what he wanted.

Kathy got up and paced the room mumbling to herself. "I don't believe you." She said finally. "That cheating jerk had been trying to 'explain' and 'give a good reason' for what he did ever since we broke up. I finally had a month of not hearing from him and here you two come."

"I think you should call him." I whispered to Gregory. He nodded and dialed a number on his cell phone.

"We need you here now." He spoke urgently, slapping the phone shut and tightening his jaw.

"NO!" Kathy shouted. "I do not want to see him. Look Aurie I don't know what you're trying to pull or if this maniac that you called your boyfriend has brainwashed you but the two of you need to mind you own business." There was complete silence for a long moment and then the doorbell rang again. Kathy backed away from the door as if it was a bomb. "No." She whispered. Gregory got up to answer it letting Dawson in.

"Hello Kathy." He said softly. "I've missed you."

"Get out." She said.

"Kathy wait, please—" I said. "Dawson you have to do something, she doesn't believe what you are." I said standing up myself hoping that my desperation would get us somewhere.

He looked at me then back at her, her face a mix of worry, confusion and anger.

"I suppose I should have anticipated that. She was always a logical thinking kind of girl, despite how much she said she was a dreamer."

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" She shouted.

"I'm sorry love." He said, stepping closer.

"You keep away from me!" She said backing away further. That only seemed to make him smile.

"Come now Kathy, I promise I won't…well I guess I can't promise that I won't bite." He said his grin widening. He was only a foot away from her now. She was backed into a wall and he was leaning in even closer.

"Stop it." She said, so quietly that I'm not even sure that I heard right. His smile was very side now, showing his teeth, teeth which included two very long canines, pointed perfectly. "Oh. My. Word."

"Do you really think any woman can compare to you my Kathy?" He asked her touching her cheek. "Of course it's true about me, and that girl was just giving me the sustenance I need to survive, to survive with you."

"You're a vampire."

"Yes I am." He said. I looked to Gregory who was watching Kathy very carefully trying to determine her emotions. "You two can leave now." He told us not even bothering to look away from Kathy. "You have my vote Aurie, see to it that the council is informed of that."

"Thank you." I said grabbing on to Gregory's hand joyfully. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and we both left quickly out the door. I cast one glance back to Dawson and Kathy to see that he had taken her hand and she had let him hold it, though it wasn't until Gregory had almost shut the door completely that I saw her lace her fingers with his.

"That went well." I said matter of-factly. "See I told you women are always right."

"I suppose," Gregory said his mind seemingly elsewhere.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. "I thought you would be happier."

"I am." He said flatly.

"I can tell." I responded curtly.

* * *

He drove us back to our apartment and immediately made all the necessary calls to inform the council of Dawson's vote. After which he said that he instantly had to leave me to run an errand.

"Do not answer this door to anyone." He said. "I have installed a new security system so there is no way for anyone to get in here. Please try to go an entire two weeks without being kidnapped." He finished having a brief smile spread across his lips. But as quickly as it came it went.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Just stay put." He said, locking the door behind him.

_What is going on with him? He has been so cold ever since we went to Kathy's. Was he that wound up that things wouldn't work out? _I replayed everything I could remember about that afternoon. He hadn't said much, and he had seemed fine once I convinced him it was a good idea to try and get Kathy and Dawson together again. _When we left it seemed like the two of them would be just fine, I don't know what I said…what I said. _I suddenly remembered. I had called Gregory my boyfriend. _Maybe I shouldn't have done that, maybe he wasn't ready for the title. _That could not be it, we were living together and he wanted to change me, he must know it was serious between us. _But that's the only thing that makes sense. He doesn't want to be my boyfriend. _I hugged myself and slumped down in one of the big cushy chairs in the living room.

I had fallen asleep without even realizing it. I opened my eyes to look at the clock only to recognize that it had been three hours since Gregory had left. It was dark outside now and I was wondering where he was so I could speak with him. I wanted to take back the boyfriend title, maybe then he would feel less pressure between us.

"Aurie, we need to talk." I spun around to see that Gregory was standing there in the hall, looking at me in anticipation. "Can we speak in there?" He said nodding to the bedroom.

"I didn't hear you come in." I said, trying to sound as emotionless as he had sounded earlier.

"I came in quietly, I didn't want to wake you, I suspected you were to take an afternoon nap, I didn't let you get much sleep last night." He said with a wicked grin. I ignored it and got up to follow him down the hall. The bedroom door was closed; he stopped in front of it to look at me. "Something you said earlier really bothered me."

I closed my eyes. "I know." I said, opening them again. "Look I'm sorry I called you my boyfriend, it was obviously a huge mistake and it won't happen again."

He smiled. "That's a relief." He said; his words like a dagger. "I mean when I heard you say that earlier I thought that being boyfriend in girlfriend just sounded wrong Aurie, I mean it made me cringe to think of us like that."

"Good to know."

He took my hand and pulled me into the bedroom, opening the door slowly.

"Let's come in here." He said.

"Oh okay." I said sarcastically. "So we can't be boyfriend and girlfriend but we can sleep with each other. No thank you." He ignored me and drug me in. "Gregory I don't want to-" my breath caught in my throat as I looked around the room. The bed and floor were covered in red and white rose petals, candles covered every surface of the room, and the curtains were open exposing the clear starry sky over the ocean.

"Like I said." He began. "Us being referred to as boyfriend and girlfriend truly makes me cringe. It sounds so mundane compared to what we are to one another."

"I-oh." I said at a complete loss.

"Aurelia." He said; I looked at him only to notice he had gotten down on one knee, a small velvet box in his hand. He opened it only to show me the most exquisite ring I had ever seen. "Will you marry me?"


	23. Saved

"What?" I gasped.

He grinned. "Will you marry me?"

"Are you sure?" I asked. _This is crazy. He's lost his damn mind._

"Yes Aurelia, I'm sure." He said. "I want to be with you, we might as well make it legitimate. So what do you say?"

I looked at him long and hard. My decision would mean everything. _But I love him._

"Yes." I said.

"Really?" He asked, showing the first bit of insecurity since I had met him.

"Yes, really." He picked me up off the floor and kissed me so intensely, I felt myself go numb. He set me down and took the ring from the box, placing it on my finger. I kissed him again and he dropped the tiny box on the floor, wrapping his arms around me, he carried me to the bed.

"I think we should do it tonight." He said.

"I was under the impression that we had already done it several times." I said smiling.

"That's not what I meant." He told me, tapping his finger on the tip of my nose. "I meant I think I should transform you tonight."

"Oh." I said shocked.

"Do you not want to change anymore?" He asked seriously.

"No, that's not it!" I exclaimed. "I was just surprised. Yes I want to change tonight."

"Okay." He began. "Here's how it's going to work. I'm going to bite you and feed from you; afterward you shall do the same to me. I will let you know when to stop. The change should only take about three to four hours and it will be intense, but I'm going to stay with you the whole time."

I nodded in understanding. He breathed in deeply and leaned his head into my neck; I felt the sheer pleasure as he sank his fangs into my neck. The thousands of colors I had seen before had reappeared again, this time I saw me and Gregory standing in the middle of it; holding each other's hands and smiling. _It was meant to be, we were meant to be. _His hands stroked my sides in reassurance, and soon the colors faded as he removed himself from my neck. He sliced at his wrist with his fangs and brought it to my lips, I was hesitant at first but soon I was drinking it like it was the best elixir that I had ever tasted. I wrapped my hands around his arms to try and drink more but Gregory pulled his hand away, taking his delicious blood with it. For a long moment I was high on pure bliss, and then the change began.

**Hour 1**

My body began to shiver severely. _I'm so cold. _

"Shhh, it's going to be alright." I heard Gregory whisper.

I felt him pull me under the covers and then lay on top of me to try to keep me warm.

"I'm so cold." I said.

My body was cramping, yet at the same time I felt so numb and immobile.

"It will be okay baby." He said. "I'm here."

"My body hurts." I said, feeling warm tears fall from my face.

"It's just your blood changing. It will pass."

His hands wiped at my face kissing my cheeks and my shut eyelids.

**Hour 2**

I don't know how I ended up in the bath tub.

However, when I opened my eyes I could see that I was in the large bathroom sitting in a hot Jacuzzi bath, with Gregory holding me up so that I wouldn't slip and drown.

"Are you feeling a little better?" He asked.

I nodded. I did feel warmer and my muscles were hurting less, but I was still feeling weak.

My eyes became were struggling to stay open, trying to fight.

They lost.

**Hour 3: Gregory**

She had finally stopped shaking.

I pulled her out of the tub and wrapped her up quickly so she wouldn't start convulsing again. Carrying her to the bed I tucked her under the covers, and quickly got extra blankets out of the cupboards to cover her up with. I got into the bed with her and enveloped her in my arms kissing her forehead.

_It will be over soon honey, I promise when this is all over you will be stronger than ever._

The phone rang and I cursed at it.

"What?" I spat, once I picked it up. It was Marguerite.

"Did the bath help her?" She asked.

"Yes it did. She's resting now, I don't want to disturb her."

"Let me know how everything goes." She said.

"I will, wait for me to call you okay?"

"Sure thing. Bye." I hung up without saying anything more. I rested my head on the pillow, my face just centimeters from hers. I breathed in her hair, her skin, and her clothes. My own eyes began to fall with the weight of exhaustion, as I let myself succumb to sleep.

**Hour 4**

My eyes snapped open; I rose in bed, causing Gregory to stir next to me. I felt something sharp poking my bottom lip. _My fangs._

I hurried to the bathroom and flicked on the light. My own reflection shocked me. My hair was shinier, my skin more luminescent, and two beautiful fangs were protruding from my mouth. I touched them with the tip of my finger. _Go away. _I thought to them. As if it were magic my fangs turned to ordinary looking human canines. _Oh my. _The light suddenly flicked off.

I whipped around to see Gregory standing in the doorway. In the darkness I could make out his features perfectly, even the intense color of his beautiful eyes. I smiled wickedly at him, I leapt toward him sending us both to the floor. He lay flat on his back with me straddling him, pinning his arms over his head.

"Gotcha" I said.

He whirled us around so that he was on top now. "Still not stronger than me." He said. I shifted my weight to sit on top of him again.

"Ha." I chortled. Then suddenly my body felt like lead and the entire room began to spin.

"Easy, easy." He said. "You need to feed. It will make the change complete itself to the fullest."

He picked me up and we headed out the door into the parking garage.

My head kept lolling back as he carried me to his car.

"I don't think I can make it any further Gregory." I said, resting on his shoulder.

"You won't have too." He said. "It's two in the morning, and my guess is that the Larson children who live two floors below us are going to stumble in from their late night clubbing. You take the boy, I'll take the girl."

Like clockwork, two teenagers who, by their matching sandy blonde hair and green eyes were clearly brother and sister. The girl held her heels in her hand.

"Danny be quiet, mom could here you!" She whispered, adding a flurry of giggles.

"We're in the parking lot idiot." He grumbled.

"Oh." She said, giggling more.

Gregory put me on my feet and steadied me.

"Do you think you can stand for just a second?" He asked.

"Mmhmm." I said, feeling a little stronger knowing I could feed soon.

The two turned the corner and were caught by surprise by us. The girl looked at Gregory and snickered to herself.

"Hiya." She said.

"Hi." Gregory said smoothly, gazing into her drunken eyes. She giggled again.

"Do we know you?" The boy called Danny asked. Following Gregory's lead I sauntered to him and tilted my head innocently.

"No." I said. "But we would like to make new friends." I smiled at him and he began to blush. I leaned in to kiss his cheek, then I moved to his neck and began to drink from him. I peaked over at Gregory and saw he was doing the same with the girl. The blood was so sweet and it flowed down my throat, feeling velvety. I felt a hand pat the back of my head, trying to pull me away.

_**That's enough Aurie. **_I heard Gregory tell me. I moved my head back and saw the boy, his dazed eyes matching his sister's.

"Are they going to make it up to their place okay?" I asked.

_They were already drunk, and now they have blood loss._

_**They weren't drunk. **_I hadn't realized I had projected my thoughts. _**They like to pretend that they are because they both think that the other is doing it. They were perfectly sober.**_

_Oh._

_**Let's go to bed. **_I took his hand as he led me back to our place. As he led me into the apartment it was the first moment I realized that the hand I was holding wasn't just anyone's, it was my fiancé's. I smiled to myself as we both fell asleep into each other's arms that night.

* * *

Gregory was sitting up in bed playing with a thin envelope in his hands when I woke up.

"What's that?" I asked.

"An early wedding gift to you." He said.

"To just me?"

"Yes, from my parents." He handed it to me.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see."

I sliced open the envelope and pulled out a check. It was for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

"Oh my," I breathed. "Gregory do you know how much this is?"

"Yes I do." He said. "But we warned, there is a contingency to this check."

"What would that be?" I asked by brows furrowed.

"You can only spend it in one place." He said.

"Where can I go and spend one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in one place?" I asked.

He smiled. "I don't know; college perhaps."

"What?"

"My parents are sending you to college."

"I can never repay them." I said.

"You don't have to, that's the point of a gift. Though, you could go to college and graduate for them, it would be the best way to honor their gift."

I rested my head on his shoulder and looked at the check again. My name and the amount clearly spelled out on the thin piece of paper. This was my life now; a perfect fiancé, a warm new family, and a real future.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Wonderful." _Just wonderful._

_**The End**_

**_

* * *

_Thank you all my loyal readers! Thanks for the reviews and for adding this story and me a favorite, I appreciate it so much this was my first story ever! I don't know if I will do a sequel to this, I want to but I have to come up with a good plot line. Also I may be posting other stories soon! Thanks again!**


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